Base64 Decode Text

Paste any Base64 string to decode it back to readable text — runs locally in your browser.

Decode Base64 strings back to plain text. Free, private online Base64 decoder. The Base64 string is decoded to bytes and then read as UTF-8, so Q2Fmw6k=.

Base64 Decode Text examples

InputOutput
SGVsbG8gd29ybGQ=Hello world
Q2Fmw6k=Café

How the base64 decode text works

  1. The Base64 string is decoded back to bytes.
  2. The bytes are interpreted as UTF-8 text.
  3. Invalid input is left untouched instead of throwing an error.

Rules and edge cases

  • The Base64 string is decoded to bytes and then read as UTF-8, so Q2Fmw6k= comes back as Café.
  • Whitespace and line breaks inside the input are tolerated — pasted email headers and certificates decode fine.
  • Invalid input is returned unchanged instead of throwing, so a mistyped string does not wipe your text.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my decoded text show strange symbols?

The data was probably not UTF-8 text — it may be an image, a compressed payload or a different encoding. Base64 only reverses the encoding, it cannot identify the original format.

Does it handle URL-safe Base64 with - and _?

Replace - with + and _ with / before decoding. URL-safe Base64 uses a different alphabet for the last two characters.