Base64 Encoding: What It Is and When to Use It

Binary to Text

Computers speak binary (0s and 1s). Email systems and URLs speak text. How do you send an image (binary) through an email (text)? Enter Base64.

How It Works

Base64 takes binary data and translates it into a set of 64 characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /). This ensures that the data survives travel through systems that might choke on raw binary bits.

Common Use Cases

• Data URIs: Embedding small icons directly into HTML/CSS to save an HTTP request.
• Email Attachments: MIME uses Base64 to encode your files.
• API Authentication: Basic Auth headers often use Base64 encoded identifiers.

Try It Yourself

Need to debug an API response? Use our Base64 Decoder to instantly turn that gibberish string back into readable text.