encode-binary-as-base64.md

Encode Binary File as a Base64 String

Use the [System.Convert] .NET Class to convert an array of Byte objects to a Base64 string.

Get bytes into a variable using the Get-Content cmdlet. The parameters depend on whether you are using Windows PowerShell or PowerShell version 6 or later (previously called PowerShell Core).

Windows PowerShell

$arrayOfBytes = Get-Content c:\path\to\binary\file.bin -Encoding Byte -Raw

PowerShell (v6 or later)

$arrayOfBytes = Get-Content c:\path\to\binary\file.bin -ReadCount 0 -AsByteStream

Use the ToBase64String method to convert to the Base64 string.

$base64string = [System.Convert]::ToBase64String($arrayOfBytes)

To get back to a binary file, use the FromBase64String method.

[System.Convert]::FromBase64String($base64string) | 
Set-Content -Path c:\new\path\to\binary\file.bin -Encoding Byte

References

• Convert documentation
• For more on Get-Content and Set-Content reference help in PowerShell. e.g. Get-Help Get-Content -Full