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Encoding

Decode Base64 to text

Base64 decoding turns strings like aGVsbG8gd29ybGQ= back into the text they were built from. Developers use it to read embedded payloads in logs, email headers and API responses. The decoder takes the standard and the URL-safe alphabet, ignores spaces and line breaks, does not need the = padding, and reads the bytes as UTF-8, so accents, Hindi and emoji come back intact.

Open Base64 Decode in the app Browse all tools

How to use Base64 Decode

  1. Open Base64 Decode in the Toolbox101 app.
  2. Paste the encoded string into the Base64 box. Line breaks and missing = padding are fine.
  3. Read the decoded text in the Output box.
  4. Click Copy to take the plain text.

Worked example

Base64 Decode returns the output below for this input.

Input

aGVsbG8gd29ybGQ=

Output

hello world

Check it yourself: open Base64 Decode and enter the same input.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I see � characters in the output?

The decoder reads the bytes as UTF-8. If the Base64 holds something that is not UTF-8 text, such as an image, a compressed file or a binary key, the bytes that do not form valid characters show up as �. The decoding worked; the data is binary rather than text.

Can I decode Base64 without the = padding?

Yes. Missing padding is not an error: the decoder adds it back before decoding, and spaces or line breaks inside the string are ignored. What does fail is a character outside the Base64 alphabet, or a length that leaves a single character over, which means part of the string is missing.

Is decoding Base64 the same as decrypting?

No. Decoding reverses a public, keyless encoding that anyone can do. If the data was encrypted before it was encoded, decoding gives you ciphertext, not the secret. Confidentiality needs a real cipher such as AES applied before the encoding step.

Does it read Base64URL too?

Yes. - and _ are accepted in place of + and /, so a JWT segment pastes straight in. The Base64URL Decode tool uses the same decoder; it is listed separately for people looking for that name.

Use Base64 Decode now

Open Base64 Decode in the app

Runs in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded.