Base64 in SQL

How to encode and decode Base64 in SQL — with copy-paste examples and a live converter to check your output.

Base64 functions differ by database: MySQL/MariaDB use TO_BASE64/FROM_BASE64, while PostgreSQL uses ENCODE/DECODE with an explicit "base64" format argument.

Encode to Base64 in SQL

SQL

-- MySQL / MariaDB
SELECT TO_BASE64('Hello, World!');

-- PostgreSQL
SELECT ENCODE('Hello, World!'::bytea, 'base64');

Decode Base64 in SQL

SQL

-- MySQL / MariaDB
SELECT FROM_BASE64(encoded);

-- PostgreSQL
SELECT DECODE(encoded, 'base64');

Notes & gotchas

MySQL's TO_BASE64 inserts a newline every 76 characters (MIME-style); wrap with REPLACE(..., '\n', '') if you need a single line. PostgreSQL's DECODE returns bytea, so cast with ::text or convert_from() to get a readable string back.

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Base64 in SQL — FAQ

How do I Base64 encode a string in SQL?+

Use the code shown above. MySQL's TO_BASE64 inserts a newline every 76 characters (MIME-style); wrap with REPLACE(..., '\n', '') if you need a single line. PostgreSQL's DECODE returns bytea, so cast with ::text or convert_from() to get a readable string back.

How do I decode Base64 back to text in SQL?+

Use the decode snippet above. Base64 decoding is lossless, so you get the exact original bytes back; decode them with UTF-8 to recover text.

Is Base64 encoding the same across programming languages?+

Yes. Base64 is a standard (RFC 4648), so a string encoded in one language decodes correctly in any other. Only the API differs, not the output.

Does Base64 secure my data?+

No. Base64 is an encoding, not encryption — anyone can decode it. Never use it to protect secrets.