Image to Base64
Turn any image into a Base64 string or data URI you can paste straight into HTML, CSS or JSON — free and instant. The encoding runs in your browser; your image is never uploaded.
or click to browse — PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, SVG, ICO, BMP · stays on your device
How to convert an image to Base64
- Upload your image. Drag and drop a PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, SVG or ICO file into the box above, or click it to browse your device.
- Pick the output you need. The tool instantly produces the full data URI, the raw Base64 string, and ready-to-paste HTML and CSS snippets.
- Copy or download. Hit the copy button next to any box, or download the complete data URI as a text file for large images.
About this tool
This free image to Base64 converter encodes any picture into a text string, using the exact original file bytes — no re-compression, no quality loss. Base64-encoded images can be embedded directly inside HTML pages, CSS stylesheets, JSON payloads, Markdown files, emails and API requests, which removes an extra HTTP request and keeps small assets like icons and logos in a single file. The generated data URI follows the standard data:mime/type;base64,… format that every browser understands.
The conversion happens entirely in your browser with the FileReader API — your image is never uploaded to a server, so confidential mockups and private photos stay on your device. Base64 output is about 33% larger than the binary original, so it is best suited to small and medium images. Need to go the other way? Use the companion Base64 to Image decoder.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the data URI and raw Base64?
The data URI includes the data:image/png;base64, prefix, so it can be used directly as an img src or CSS url(). The raw string is just the Base64 payload — use it in JSON APIs or code that adds its own prefix.
Why is the Base64 string larger than my image file?
Base64 represents every 3 bytes of binary data with 4 text characters, so the output is always about 33% bigger than the original file. That is the trade-off for being able to store an image as plain text.
Does converting to Base64 reduce image quality?
No. Base64 is a lossless text encoding of the exact file bytes — decoding it returns a bit-for-bit identical image. This tool does not resize or re-compress anything.
When should I embed images as Base64?
It works best for small assets (under roughly 10–20 KB) like icons, logos and tracking pixels, where saving an HTTP request outweighs the 33% size increase. Large photos are usually better served as normal image files, which browsers can cache separately.