URL Encoder & Decoder
What is URL encoding?
URL encoding, also known as percent encoding, converts special characters into a format that can be safely transmitted in a URL. Since URLs only support a limited set of ASCII characters, any characters outside this set must be replaced with a percent sign followed by their hexadecimal value.
For example, a space becomes %20 and an ampersand becomes %26. As a result, the URL can be correctly interpreted by web browsers and servers without any ambiguity.
How to use this URL encoder and decoder
First, select “Encode” to convert text with special characters into a URL-safe format. Alternatively, select “Decode” to convert percent-encoded strings back to readable text. The tool provides three encoding methods to choose from.
Additionally, the tool auto-converts as you type. You can use the “Swap” button to quickly switch between encoding and decoding the same data. Furthermore, results include a character count for both input and output.
Encoding methods explained
encodeURIComponent
This is the most commonly used method. It encodes individual query parameter values. For instance, when building a URL like search?q=hello world, you need to encode “hello world” to “hello%20world”.
encodeURI
Use this method when you have a complete URL and want to encode only the unsafe characters. It preserves the URL structure, keeping slashes, colons, and question marks intact.
Full URL encode
This method encodes every special character, including those normally allowed in URLs. It is particularly useful when passing an entire URL as a parameter value inside another URL.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need to URL encode data?
URLs can only contain certain ASCII characters. Special characters like spaces, ampersands, and quotes must be encoded. Without encoding, URLs may break or be misinterpreted by browsers and servers.
What is %20 vs + for spaces?
Both represent a space character. However, %20 is the standard percent encoding used in URLs, while the + symbol is specific to HTML form submissions. In most cases, %20 is more universally compatible.
Is my data safe?
Yes. All encoding and decoding happens locally in your browser. No data is sent to any server, which makes it completely safe for sensitive information.
Related developer tools
Check out our other free tools: the Base64 Encoder & Decoder for binary-to-text encoding, the HTML Entity Encoder for escaping HTML characters, or the JSON Formatter for beautifying JSON data.