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Image to Base64 Converter

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Drag & Drop an image here

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Base64 Output

The Frontend Optimization Guide: Image to Base64

The Adiminium Image to Base64 Converter is a key tool in the web performance optimization toolkit. It allows you to convert binary image files (JPG, PNG, GIF, SVG) into text strings that can be embedded directly into your code.

Performance Tip: Only use Base64 for small assets (like icons, logos, or tiny patterns < 5KB). Determining when to untether an image from a separate HTTP request is an art form.

Why Embed Images? (Data URIs)

Every time a browser sees an `<img src="file.png">` tag, it has to open a new network connection to the server to fetch that file. This adds latency (DNS lookup, TCP handshake).
By converting the image to text (`src="data:image/png;base64..."`), the image data is downloaded as part of the HTML document itself.
Benefit: 0 extra network requests. Instant rendering.

The Trade-Off

Nothing is free. Base64 encoding uses 4 ASCII characters to represent every 3 bytes of data. This means your file size grows by 33%.
Example: A 100KB image becomes 133KB of text. This increases your HTML/CSS file size, which can delay the initial rendering of your page if overused.

When to Use This Tool

  1. Little Icons: Social media icons, navigation arrows, or bullets are perfect candidates.
  2. Critical Path Rendering: The "Above the Fold" hero logo. You want this to load instantly without waiting for a second request.
  3. Single-File Projects: Sending a client a single `.html` file that contains all images embedded inside it, so they don't lose the attachments.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Upload: Select your file. We support all web formats.
  2. Copy: The tool generates the full `data:image...` string.
  3. Paste in HTML: `<img src="[PASTE HERE]" />`
  4. Paste in CSS: `.icon { background-image: url([PASTE HERE]); }`

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this work for SVGs?

Yes, but often it is better to paste raw Inline SVG code rather than Base64 encoding it, as raw SVG (text) often compresses better with GZIP than Base64 strings do.

Is there a size limit?

Browsers can handle very long strings, but for performance, we recommend staying under 10KB. If you try to paste a 5MB base64 string into your code editor, it will likely crash your editor!