What is the difference between Base64 and hexadecimal?

Both are ways to represent binary data as text. Base64 uses 64 characters and encodes 3 bytes into 4 characters. Hexadecimal uses 16 characters (0-9, A-F) and encodes each byte as exactly 2 characters. Hex is more verbose but easier to read byte-by-byte.

Does this tool support URL-safe Base64?

Yes. URL-safe Base64 replaces + with - and / with _. The converter detects these characters automatically and normalizes them before decoding.

Is padding required in the Base64 input?

No. The tool adds missing = padding characters automatically so you do not need to include them.

Can I convert the hex output back to Base64?

Yes. Take the hex string, parse it back to bytes (each pair is one byte), then apply standard Base64 encoding. Look for our Hexadecimal to Base64 converter for the reverse operation.

What does "group bytes" mean?

When grouping is enabled, the hex output inserts a space after every two hex characters (i.e., after every byte), making long strings easier to read, for example: 48 65 6c 6c 6f instead of 48656c6c6f.

Base64 to Hexadecimal Converter

Paste a Base64 string and instantly get the equivalent hexadecimal representation of its decoded bytes.

Base64 Input

Uppercase hex Group bytes (add spaces)

Hexadecimal Output

Copied!

Summary

This tool decodes a Base64-encoded string to its raw bytes, then represents those bytes as a hexadecimal string. It supports both standard Base64 (RFC 4648) and URL-safe Base64 (with - and _ instead of + and /). You can also choose between uppercase and lowercase hex output, and add a space between every byte for readability.

How it works

Paste or type your Base64 string into the input field.
The tool normalizes URL-safe characters (- → +, _ → /) before decoding.
Missing Base64 padding (=) is added automatically.
The decoded bytes are converted to their two-hex-digit representations.
The result appears immediately; click Copy to copy it to your clipboard.

Use cases

Inspect the raw bytes of a Base64-encoded value from a JWT header or payload.
Convert Base64-encoded cryptographic hashes or keys to hex for comparison.
Debug binary data encoded in Base64 transport layers.
Translate Base64 color codes or pixel data into hex byte sequences.
Verify that two Base64 strings encode the same underlying bytes.
Examine image or file data embedded as Base64 strings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-05-28 · Reviewed by Nham Vu