## Syntax
```mermaid
%%{init: {
'theme': 'base',
'flowchart': { 'padding': '7', 'nodeSpacing': '20', 'rankSpacing': '20' },
'themeVariables': {
'fontSize': '11px',
'fontFamily': 'Arial'
}
}}%%
flowchart LR
Start((START)) --> BASE64_DECODE[BASE64_DECODE]:::quoted
BASE64_DECODE --> End((END))
```
## Purpose
The `BASE64_DECODE` SQL function converts a base64 encoded value back to the binary object (`blob`) as defined on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base64). See also [[BASE64_ENCODE]].
Parameters:
- Input: value to convert back to the original.
Returns: the input decoded back to the binary value.
## Examples
`BASE64_DECODE` maps the text `aGk=` to a binary object and then to a text in 7-bit ASCII character set:
```sql
select blob_to_text(base64_decode('aGk='), 'ASCII')
--------
hi
```