URL Encoder & Decoder
Encode URLs by converting special characters to percent-encoded format, or decode percent-encoded URLs back to readable text — free & instant.
Quick Examples
Click to instantly encode or decode.
Quick Examples
Click to instantly encode or decode.
How to Use?
Choose Mode
Select Encode URL to convert special characters to percent format, or Decode URL to convert percent-encoded URLs back to readable text.
Paste Input
Paste your URL or text. Encoding happens automatically in real time.
Copy Result
Click Copy to copy the encoded or decoded result to your clipboard.
What is URL Encoding?
URL encoding (also called percent-encoding) converts characters that are not allowed in URLs into a %XX format, where XX is the hexadecimal ASCII value of the character. For example, a space becomes %20 and & becomes %26. This ensures URLs are transmitted safely over the internet.
URL encoding is essential when passing special characters in query strings, form data or API parameters. Without it, characters like ?, =, & and spaces would break the URL structure and cause unexpected behavior.
Common Encoded Characters
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?
encodeURI is used for a complete URL — it keeps structural characters like /, ?, #, : intact. encodeURIComponent encodes everything including those characters and is used for individual query parameter values.
What does %20 mean in a URL?
%20 is the percent-encoded representation of a space character. When you see %20 in a URL, it means there's a space there that was encoded for safe transmission.
What is the difference between %20 and + for spaces?
Both represent spaces but in different contexts. %20 is used in URL paths and modern query strings. + is used in HTML form data (application/x-www-form-urlencoded). Our decoder handles both.
Can I encode non-English characters?
Yes. Non-ASCII characters like accented letters (é, ñ) and Unicode characters are UTF-8 encoded first, then percent-encoded. For example, é becomes %C3%A9.
Is this tool free?
Yes, 100% free. No signup, no limits.