Convert JSON objects to base64 strings with file processing

Encode JSON to Base64 String in n8n

This example workflow demonstrates how to convert a JSON object into a base64-encoded string using n8n’s built-in file processing capabilities. This is a common requirement when working with APIs, webhooks, or SaaS integrations that expect payloads to be base64-encoded.

> Tip: The three green-highlighted nodes (Stringify → Convert to File → Extract from File) can be wrapped in a Subworkflow to create a reusable Base64 encoder in your own projects.

🔧 Requirements

• Any running n8n instance (local or cloud)
• No credentials or external services required

What This Workflow Does

1. Generates example JSON data
2. Converts the JSON to a string
3. Saves the string as a binary file
4. Extracts the file’s contents as a base64 string
5. Outputs the base64 string on the final node

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Manual Trigger
   Start the workflow using the Manual Execution node. This is useful for testing and development.

2. Create JSON Data
   The Create Json Data node uses raw mode to construct a sample object with all major JSON types: strings, numbers, booleans, nulls, arrays, nested objects, etc.

3. Convert to String
   The Convert to String node uses the expression ={{ JSON.stringify($json) }} to flatten the object into a single string field named json_text.

4. Convert to File
   The Convert to File node takes the json_text value and saves it to a UTF-8 encoded binary file in the property encoded_text.

5. Extract from File
   This node takes the binary file and extracts its contents as a base64-encoded string. The result is saved in the base64_text field.

Customization Tips

• Replace the sample JSON in the Create Json Data node with your own payload structure.
• To make this reusable, extract the three core nodes into a Subworkflow or wrap them in a custom Function.
• Use the base64_text output field to post to APIs, store in databases, or include in webhook responses.