Free Base64 to JSON decoder — decode, validate and pretty-print

UTF-8-safe Base64, processed entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded.

🔓 Base64 to JSON — Free Online Tool

Decode Base64 to readable JSON online, free. Base64 to JSON decoding reverses Base64 (RFC 4648) back to text, then parses and pretty-prints it as JSON so you can read it. It's the quick way to inspect a JWT claims segment, a data: URI, or any Base64-wrapped JSON payload — decoded entirely in your browser, with nothing uploaded.

🚀 Why use this Base64 to JSON tool?

It decodes UTF-8-safely and re-indents the result as readable JSON, and tells you when the decoded text isn't valid JSON so you can spot an encoding problem. 100% free, no registration, and complete privacy — everything runs locally in your browser, so your data never touches a server.

Key Features

🔓Decode & pretty-print

Decodes the Base64 and formats the result as readable, indented JSON.

🪙JWT-friendly

Paste a JWT's claims segment to inspect it; handles UTF-8 content correctly.

⚠️Clear errors

Warns when the decoded text isn't valid JSON, so you can tell encoding bugs from non-JSON data.

🔒100% private

Tokens, payloads and config never leave your device.

Popular Use Cases

Debugging

  • Inspect a JWT payload
  • Decode a data: URI
  • Read an encoded config

APIs

  • Unwrap a Base64 JSON field
  • Verify what was encoded
  • Check transport payloads

Dev

  • Decode an env var value
  • Recover a stored payload
  • Sanity-check encoding

What It Handles

Decodes

  • Base64 → JSON
  • UTF-8 safe
  • Pretty-printed

Handles

  • Standard Base64
  • Validity warning
  • Raw fallback

Privacy

  • Client-side only
  • No network calls
  • Runs offline

Sources & References

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I decode Base64 to JSON?

Paste the Base64 string and click Decode. The tool decodes the bytes back to text, then parses and pretty-prints the result as JSON so you can read it. If the decoded text is not valid JSON, it still shows the raw decoded output with a warning.

Why does my decoded JSON look garbled?

Usually one of three causes: the string is Base64URL (swap - _ for + /), it is truncated or has wrong padding, or it was never JSON to begin with. The tool reports when the decoded text fails to parse as JSON so you can tell encoding errors from non-JSON data.

Can I use this to read a JWT payload?

Yes — for the claims segment. A JWT has three dot-separated parts; the middle part is Base64URL-encoded JSON. Paste that segment to inspect the claims. Note that JWT uses the URL-safe Base64 alphabet (- and _ instead of + and /); convert those characters if your token does not decode cleanly. For full token parsing, use the JWT Decoder.

Is my data sent to a server?

No. Decoding, parsing and formatting all run in your browser. Tokens, payloads and config never leave your device.

Does decoding handle Unicode correctly?

Yes. The decoder is UTF-8-safe, so accented characters, CJK text and emoji in the original JSON are restored exactly. The output is then re-indented for readability.

🎓 Pro Tips

  • Tip 1: JWT segments use URL-safe Base64 (- and _); convert them to + and / if the string won't decode.
  • Tip 2: For a full JWT (header.payload.signature), use the JWT Decoder — this tool decodes one Base64 segment.
  • Tip 3: A 'not valid JSON' warning usually means wrong padding or a Base64URL alphabet, not a tool bug.