diff --git a/lua/image/backends/kitty/helpers.lua b/lua/image/backends/kitty/helpers.lua
index 15fe748..c989a4e 100644
--- a/lua/image/backends/kitty/helpers.lua
+++ b/lua/image/backends/kitty/helpers.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ local codes = require("image/backends/kitty/codes")
 local utils = require("image/utils")
 
 local uv = vim.uv
- -- Allow for loop to be used on older versions
+-- Allow for loop to be used on older versions
 if not uv then uv = vim.loop end
 
 local stdout = vim.loop.new_tty(1, false)
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ local write_graphics = function(config, data)
       local file = io.open(data, "rb")
       data = file:read("*all")
     end
-    data = utils.base64.encode(data):gsub("%-", "/")
+    data = vim.base64.encode(data):gsub("%-", "/")
     local chunks = get_chunked(data)
     local m = #chunks > 1 and 1 or 0
     control_payload = control_payload .. ",m=" .. m
diff --git a/lua/image/image.lua b/lua/image/image.lua
index 28313f1..bb58b8c 100644
--- a/lua/image/image.lua
+++ b/lua/image/image.lua
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ function Image:render(geometry)
     local format = self.global_state.processor.get_format(self.original_path)
 
     if format ~= "png" then
-      local converted_path = self.global_state.tmp_dir .. "/" .. utils.base64.encode(self.id) .. "-source.png"
+      local converted_path = self.global_state.tmp_dir .. "/" .. vim.base64.encode(self.id) .. "-source.png"
       self.path = self.global_state.processor.convert_to_png(self.original_path, converted_path)
     end
 
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ end
 
 ---@param brightness number
 function Image:brightness(brightness)
-  local altered_path = self.global_state.tmp_dir .. "/" .. utils.base64.encode(self.id) .. "-source.png"
+  local altered_path = self.global_state.tmp_dir .. "/" .. vim.base64.encode(self.id) .. "-source.png"
   self.path = self.global_state.processor.brightness(self.path, brightness, altered_path)
   self.cropped_path = self.path
   self.resize_hash = nil
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ end
 
 ---@param saturation number
 function Image:saturation(saturation)
-  local altered_path = self.global_state.tmp_dir .. "/" .. utils.base64.encode(self.id) .. "-source.png"
+  local altered_path = self.global_state.tmp_dir .. "/" .. vim.base64.encode(self.id) .. "-source.png"
   self.path = self.global_state.processor.saturation(self.path, saturation, altered_path)
   self.cropped_path = self.path
   self.resize_hash = nil
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ end
 
 ---@param hue number
 function Image:hue(hue)
-  local altered_path = self.global_state.tmp_dir .. "/" .. utils.base64.encode(self.id) .. "-source.png"
+  local altered_path = self.global_state.tmp_dir .. "/" .. vim.base64.encode(self.id) .. "-source.png"
   self.path = self.global_state.processor.hue(self.path, hue, altered_path)
   self.cropped_path = self.path
   self.resize_hash = nil
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ local from_file = function(path, options, state)
 
   -- convert non-png images to png and read the dimensions
   local source_path = absolute_original_path
-  local converted_path = state.tmp_dir .. "/" .. utils.base64.encode(id) .. "-source.png"
+  local converted_path = state.tmp_dir .. "/" .. vim.base64.encode(id) .. "-source.png"
 
   -- case 1: non-png, already converted
   if
diff --git a/lua/image/renderer.lua b/lua/image/renderer.lua
index d018a86..b2935ef 100644
--- a/lua/image/renderer.lua
+++ b/lua/image/renderer.lua
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ local render = function(image)
         image.resize_hash = resize_hash
       else
         -- perform resize
-        local tmp_path = state.tmp_dir .. "/" .. utils.base64.encode(image.id) .. "-resized-" .. resize_hash .. ".png"
+        local tmp_path = state.tmp_dir .. "/" .. vim.base64.encode(image.id) .. "-resized-" .. resize_hash .. ".png"
         image.resized_path = state.processor.resize(image.path, pixel_width, pixel_height, tmp_path)
         image.resize_hash = resize_hash
         image_cache.resized[resize_hash] = image.resized_path
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ local render = function(image)
         image.crop_hash = crop_hash
       else
         -- perform crop
-        local tmp_path = state.tmp_dir .. "/" .. utils.base64.encode(image.id) .. "-cropped-" .. crop_hash .. ".png"
+        local tmp_path = state.tmp_dir .. "/" .. vim.base64.encode(image.id) .. "-cropped-" .. crop_hash .. ".png"
         image.cropped_path = state.processor.crop(
           image.resized_path or image.path,
           0,
diff --git a/lua/image/utils/base64.lua b/lua/image/utils/base64.lua
deleted file mode 100644
index a0f26b7..0000000
--- a/lua/image/utils/base64.lua
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,67 +0,0 @@
--- LuaJIT FFI Base64 encoder/decoder
--- Copyright (c) 2022 Edward Lufadeju (edward@ncade.com)
--- See end of file for license information
-
-local ffi = require("ffi")
-local base64 = {}
-
-local b64 = ffi.new("unsigned const char[65]", "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789+-")
-
-function base64.encode(str)
-  ---@diagnostic disable-next-line: undefined-global
-  local band, bor, lsh, rsh = bit.band, bit.bor, bit.lshift, bit.rshift
-  local len = #str
-  local enc_len = 4 * math.ceil(len / 3) -- (len + 2) // 3 * 4 after Lua 5.3
-
-  local src = ffi.new("unsigned const char[?]", len + 1, str)
-  local enc = ffi.new("unsigned char[?]", enc_len + 1)
-
-  local i, j = 0, 0
-  while i < len - 2 do
-    enc[j] = b64[band(rsh(src[i], 2), 0x3F)]
-    enc[j + 1] = b64[bor(lsh(band(src[i], 0x3), 4), rsh(band(src[i + 1], 0xF0), 4))]
-    enc[j + 2] = b64[bor(lsh(band(src[i + 1], 0xF), 2), rsh(band(src[i + 2], 0xC0), 6))]
-    enc[j + 3] = b64[band(src[i + 2], 0x3F)]
-    i, j = i + 3, j + 4
-  end
-
-  if i < len then
-    enc[j] = b64[band(rsh(src[i], 2), 0x3F)]
-    if i == len - 1 then
-      enc[j + 1] = b64[lsh(band(src[i], 0x3), 4)]
-      enc[j + 2] = 0x3D
-    else
-      enc[j + 1] = b64[bor(lsh(band(src[i], 0x3), 4), rsh(band(src[i + 1], 0xF0), 4))]
-      enc[j + 2] = b64[lsh(band(src[i + 1], 0xF), 2)]
-    end
-    enc[j + 3] = 0x3D
-  end
-
-  return ffi.string(enc, enc_len)
-end
-
-return base64
-
---[[
-MIT License
-
-Copyright (c) 2022 Edward Lufadeju
-
-Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
-of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
-in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
-to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
-copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
-furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
-
-The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
-copies or substantial portions of the Software.
-
-THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
-IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
-FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
-AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
-LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
-OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
-SOFTWARE.
---]]
diff --git a/lua/image/utils/init.lua b/lua/image/utils/init.lua
index 6b6e863..6409187 100644
--- a/lua/image/utils/init.lua
+++ b/lua/image/utils/init.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-local base64 = require("image/utils/base64")
 local hash = require("image/utils/hash")
 local logger = require("image/utils/logger")
 local magic = require("image/utils/magic")
@@ -14,7 +13,6 @@ return {
   log = logger.log,
   throw = logger.throw,
   debug = logger.debug,
-  base64 = base64,
   random = random,
   window = window,
   term = term,