all Python 3base64function
base64.decode()
legacy interface
Legacy interface: reads a file containing Base64 and writes the decoded bytes into another file.
Syntax
base64.decode(input, output)
Both files must be opened in binary mode; lines are read with readline, so multi-line MIME text is handled without preparation. Like b64decode without validate, foreign characters in the lines are silently skipped. It is the counterpart of base64.encode and reads its output without loss.
Examples
import base64
with open('data.b64', 'wb') as f:
f.write(b'aGk/\nPg==\n')
with open('data.b64', 'rb') as src, open('data.bin', 'wb') as dst:
base64.decode(src, dst)
with open('data.bin', 'rb') as f:
print(f.read()) # → b'hi?>'
See also
Open in the full glossarydocs.python.orgReport an inaccuracy