URL Encoder/Decoder
A URL encoder converts characters that are not allowed in web addresses (spaces, symbols, and non-ASCII characters) into percent-encoded form such as %20, so links and query parameters transmit correctly. This free tool encodes and decodes URLs instantly in your browser, making it easy to build safe links or inspect encoded query strings.
How to encode or decode a URL
- Paste the text or URL you want to convert into the input field.
- Choose Encode to percent-encode special characters, or Decode to reverse an encoded string.
- Review the result. Spaces become %20 and reserved characters get their percent codes.
- Copy the output and use it in your link, query string, or application.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is URL encoding/decoding?
URL encoding converts characters that are not allowed in URLs into percent-encoded format (e.g., space becomes %20). URL decoding reverses this process. This ensures that special characters, spaces, and non-ASCII characters are properly transmitted in URLs.
When should I encode or decode URLs?
Encode URLs when building them dynamically with user input, including query parameters with special characters. Decode URLs when analyzing URL data or extracting information from query strings received from external sources.
What characters need to be URL encoded?
Characters that need encoding include spaces, punctuation marks like # ? & = +, non-ASCII characters, and any reserved characters used for URL syntax when they appear in data portions. Our encoder handles all these cases automatically.
What's the difference between encoding a full URL vs. components?
Encoding a full URL might encode syntactically important characters like / and ?. Component encoding is more selective and preserves URL structure while only encoding the values within specific parts (like query parameters). For most cases, component encoding is safer.
Is URL encoding the same as HTML encoding?
No, they're different encoding schemes. URL encoding uses percent signs (%) followed by hexadecimal values for special characters, while HTML encoding uses ampersand (&) with named entities or decimal/hex references. Use URL encoding for URLs and HTML encoding for HTML content.
Last updated: