Convert SVG to Base64 online, free
To convert an SVG to Base64, paste the markup or upload the .svg file above and click Encode. The tool builds a data URI and a matching background-image CSS snippet you can paste directly into a stylesheet or an <img> tag, entirely in your browser.
A data URI lets you embed an SVG's actual content inside an HTML or CSS file instead of linking to a separate .svg file. That means one fewer network request, and the image travels with the file that references it rather than depending on a file path staying valid.
How the conversion works
- Paste or upload: drop in SVG markup directly, or choose a local
.svgfile. - Pick an encoding: Base64 for the most widely recognized format, or URL-encoded for a shorter, more readable string.
- Copy what you need: a full data URI for HTML, or a ready-made
background-imageline for CSS. - Nothing is uploaded: both encodings run with the browser's own string and encoding functions, so the SVG never leaves your machine.
Need to change the artwork first? Open the file in the full SVG Lab editor to edit shapes and styles, or use the SVG viewer to check it before encoding. If you need a raster export instead of an inline data URI, use the SVG to PNG or SVG to JPG converters, or the resize SVG tool to change its dimensions first.
When to embed an SVG as Base64 instead of linking a file
Linking to a separate .svg file is usually the simpler choice, and it lets the browser cache the file independently. Embedding it as a data URI earns its place in a narrower set of cases: a single small icon used inline in CSS where an extra network request isn't worth it, an email template or a CMS field that only accepts inline HTML and can't reference external files, or a component that needs to bundle its own icon without a separate asset file.
Base64 encoding increases the size of the data itself by roughly a third, so it isn't a way to shrink a file. The tradeoff is fewer requests and a self-contained snippet, not a smaller payload. URL encoding avoids that size overhead and keeps the markup more readable, which is why the encoding selector on this page offers both.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert an SVG to Base64 online?
Paste your SVG markup or upload an SVG file into the tool on this page and click Encode. You'll get a Base64 data URI and a ready-to-use CSS background-image snippet. The conversion happens in your browser.
Is this SVG to Base64 converter free?
Yes. This SVG to Base64 tool is free to use, with no account required.
Does my SVG file get uploaded to a server?
No. The Base64 and URL encoding both happen entirely in your browser: the SVG itself is not sent to a server as part of this conversion.
What's the difference between Base64 and URL-encoded output?
Both produce a data URI you can drop into HTML or CSS instead of linking a file. Base64 encoding is the more universally recognized format. URL encoding keeps the SVG markup mostly readable and often produces a shorter string, since it does not add Base64's roughly one-third size overhead.
Can I use the output directly in CSS?
Yes. The CSS snippet box gives you a background-image: url(...) declaration you can paste straight into a stylesheet, so the SVG is embedded inline instead of loaded as a separate file.
Does encoding to Base64 make my SVG file smaller?
No, the opposite. Base64 encoding increases the size of the data by roughly a third. The benefit is fewer network requests, not a smaller payload, since the SVG is embedded directly in the HTML or CSS instead of being a separate file.