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Text Encoding Converter

Convert UTF-8 text and its Base64, binary, hexadecimal, and decimal byte representations.

Files

Drop any file here to see its bytes in every format.

Or drop a file here, up to 8 KB. It isn't uploaded.

How to use this tool

  1. Paste your input text

    Type or paste a string into any of the input fields (Text, Base64, Hex, Binary, or Decimal). The converter detects which field you edited and treats it as the source, then updates every other representation live.

  2. Pick the target encoding

    Read the converted value in the field for the encoding you need. Base64 uses the standard RFC 4648 alphabet, hex uses 2 characters per byte, binary groups bits by byte, and decimal lists byte values separated by spaces.

  3. Round-trip back to verify

    Paste the converted output back into its own field to confirm the round trip. If the original text reappears, the encoding is lossless. If decoding fails silently, the input was not valid for that encoding (wrong characters, bad padding, or double-encoded).

  4. Copy the result

    Copy the converted string into your code, terminal, or debugger. Nothing is sent over the network, logged, or stored, so it is safe to use with tokens, fragments of secrets during local debugging, or CTF payloads.

About this tool

The Text Encoding Converter converts a string between Base64, binary, hexadecimal, decimal, and UTF-8, all locally in your browser. Paste text into one field and every other representation updates live, which helps when decoding a JWT, debugging a malformed API response, inspecting a suspicious string, or solving a CTF puzzle.

Use it when a backend returns Base64-encoded binary data and you need to see what's inside, when you're copying and pasting hex dumps between tools, or when you need to round-trip UTF-8 text through an encoding to prove nothing is corrupted. Because conversion happens entirely client-side, it's safe for tokens, fragments of secrets during local debugging, or anything else you wouldn't paste into a random online encoder.

Supported encodings

Base64 (RFC 4648 with standard alphabet), binary (grouped by byte), hexadecimal (2 chars per byte), decimal (byte values separated by spaces), and raw UTF-8 text. All conversions are round-trip safe for any valid Unicode input, including emoji and combining characters.

When to use it

Use it to decode Base64 strings from JSON payloads, inspect hex data from packet captures, check a URL-safe token, or show how the same bytes look across encodings. Pair it with the JSON Formatter when the decoded output is itself JSON, and the Unix Timestamp tool when the decoded payload contains epoch times.

Popular encoding guides

Guides to common encodings, with conversion examples and pitfalls.

Base64 vs Hex
33% vs 100% overhead, and when each wins
View details
UTF-8 vs ASCII
Why UTF-8 won and when ASCII still matters
View details
URL encoding guide
Percent-encoding for URLs and query params
View details

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert text to Base64?
Paste your string into the Text field and the Base64 output appears instantly. The payload uses standard Base64 (RFC 4648), matching Linux's base64 command after line wrapping is removed. GNU coreutils wraps terminal output at 76 characters by default, while this tool keeps the result on one line.
What's the difference between Base64 and hex encoding?
Both encode binary data as text, but with different alphabets. Base64 uses 64 characters and needs roughly 4 chars per 3 bytes (33% overhead). Hex uses 16 characters and needs exactly 2 chars per byte (100% overhead). Base64 is denser, while hex is easier to read byte by byte.
Why does my UTF-8 text break when converted to binary?
It isn't breaking. UTF-8 encodes non-ASCII characters as multibyte sequences, so a single emoji or accented letter becomes 2-4 bytes, and the binary output is longer than the character count suggests. That's correct behavior, not a bug.
Is it safe to paste sensitive data into the converter?
Yes. The conversion runs entirely in your browser with JavaScript, and nothing is sent to our servers, logged, or stored. You can verify this with your browser's Network tab: no requests fire when you type.
What is URL-safe Base64?
A variant that replaces `+` with `-` and `/` with `_` so the result can be safely placed in URLs without percent-encoding. JWT tokens use URL-safe Base64. Standard Base64 is fine for most other uses.
Can I decode Base64 back to the original text?
Yes, the converter is bidirectional. Paste Base64 into the Base64 field and you'll get the original UTF-8 string back. If decoding fails silently, the input isn't valid Base64 (wrong characters, bad padding, or it was double-encoded).

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