Question 1

What is the difference between raw Base64 and a data URI?

Accepted Answer

A raw Base64 string is only the encoded data, whereas a data URI includes the MIME prefix like data:image/png;base64 so the browser knows how to display it.

Question 2

When should I embed images as Base64 instead of linking to a file?

Accepted Answer

Embed Base64 only for small, critical graphics; larger images should remain as separate files to avoid bloating your HTML or CSS.

Question 3

How large can the encoded string be?

Accepted Answer

Base64 adds about 33% overhead; browsers can handle multi-megabyte strings but large data URIs slow down pages, so use external files for anything sizable.

Question 4

Can I decode a Base64 string without a MIME prefix?

Accepted Answer

Yes; paste the raw string, select a fallback MIME type and the tool will rebuild a downloadable image.

Question 5

Is the conversion secure?

Accepted Answer

Everything runs locally in the browser, so the image never leaves your device.

Question 6

How do I embed the Base64 output in HTML or CSS?

Accepted Answer

Use the data URI as the src of an img tag or the background-image in CSS, and gzip your pages so the longer string compresses efficiently.

Image & Base64 Converter

Base64 conversion FAQs