B64 keyboard shortcuts on a Mac
The complete shortcut list for B64, grouped the way you actually reach for them.
Most of what you do in B64 is one keystroke away. This page is the full list, grouped by task rather than by menu, so you can find the one you want by what you are trying to do.
Moving between workspaces
| Shortcut | Does |
|---|---|
| ⌘1 | Encode — image or PDF into Base64 |
| ⌘2 | Decode — Base64 back into an image |
| ⌘3 | Batch — whole folders, either direction |
| ⌥⌘I | Show or hide the Inspector |
| ⌘, | Settings |
Encode
| Shortcut | Does |
|---|---|
| ⌘O | Choose a file to encode |
| ⇧⌘V | Paste an image from the clipboard and encode it |
| ⇧⌘C | Copy the complete result |
| ⌘E | Export the result as a .txt file |
| ⌘⌫ | Clear the workspace |
⇧⌘V and ⇧⌘C. Copy an image anywhere on your Mac, paste it straight into Encode, then copy the result — two keystrokes from a screenshot to a string on your clipboard, with no file saved in between.
Decode
| Shortcut | Does |
|---|---|
| ⌘V | Paste Base64 into the input box |
| Space | Quick Look the decoded image at full size |
| ⌘⌫ | Clear the workspace |
Decode's other actions — Import…, Copy Image and Save… — sit on buttons beside the result, where they are one click from whatever you are looking at.
Batch
| Shortcut | Does |
|---|---|
| ⇧⌘O | Choose files or folders to convert |
| Double-click a row | Open that item in Encode or Decode |
| Right-click a row | Save just that result, or reveal it in the Finder |
| ⌘⌫ | Clear the workspace |
Pointing, dragging and dropping
Not shortcuts exactly, but the gestures that replace them.
- Drag and drop works in every workspace. An image onto Encode, a text file onto Decode, anything at all onto Batch.
- Drop a folder on Batch and the direction is worked out from what is inside it.
- Double-click a batch row to open that one item in the workspace that handles it.
- Select any value in the Inspector and copy it — checksums, dimensions and MIME types are all text.
Making the defaults do the work
Some keystrokes are ones you can stop pressing. In B64 ▸ Settings… ▸ General you can set the output format you usually want, the line wrapping you usually want, and copy after encoding — which puts the result on the clipboard automatically, so a drag and drop is the entire interaction. See B64 settings, explained.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change the shortcuts?
The shortcuts in this list are fixed, but macOS lets you assign your own to any menu item in any app from System Settings, under Keyboard Shortcuts, App Shortcuts.
What is the fastest way from a screenshot to a Base64 string?
Take the screenshot to the clipboard, press Shift Command V in Encode to paste and encode it, then Shift Command C to copy the result. Turn on copy after encoding in Settings and the second keystroke is not needed either.
Is there a shortcut to switch output format?
The format menu sits above the result and is one click away. If you always want the same one, set it as the default in Settings so it is already selected.
Does the spacebar Quick Look work everywhere?
It works wherever there is a decoded image in front of you — in Decode, and on a batch row you have selected.