File to Base64 Converter
Encode any file as Base64 for embedding and APIs
Input (Text or File)
0 charactersDrop file or click to browse
Max size: 10MB • Any file type supported
Output (Base64)
0 charactersSecure
All processing happens in your browser. No data is sent to servers.
Fast
Live preview with instant encoding and decoding as you type.
Files
Support for images, PDFs, and documents up to 10MB.
What is File to Base64?
Any file—documents, audio, video, archives—can be base64 encoded for text-based transmission. When binary data must travel through JSON APIs, email (MIME), or text databases, base64 encoding makes it possible.
The encoder reads binary file data and produces a universally-safe ASCII string. The decoder reverses the process exactly, reconstructing the original file byte-for-byte.
Why Encode File?
JSON APIs can't handle raw binary data—they need strings. When uploading files through JSON-based APIs (common in serverless and JAMstack architectures), base64 encoding is often required.
Email attachments also use base64 (MIME encoding). Understanding the format helps when debugging email delivery issues or parsing mail programmatically.
How It Works
The browser's FileReader API converts files to base64:
const reader = new FileReader(); reader.onload = () => console.log(reader.result); reader.readAsDataURL(file);
The result includes the MIME type prefix: data:application/pdf;base64,...
Our tool extracts files from drag-and-drop or file input, encodes them, and provides both the raw base64 string and the complete data URI.
Common Use Cases
- File uploads via JSON APIs
- Embedding PDFs in HTML
- Email attachment debugging
- Storing binary data in text databases
Pro Tip
Large files create very long base64 strings. For files over 1MB, consider multipart upload or chunking instead.
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