URL Encoder Decoder
Encode special characters for safe URLs or decode percent-encoded strings instantly. Essential for web development.
How to Use
- Select Encode or Decode mode.
- Paste your URL or text into the input panel.
- Choose between Component encoding (for query params) or Full URI encoding.
- Click Encode (or Decode) to convert.
- Use Copy to copy the result or Swap to reverse input/output.
Features
Encode & Decode
Switch between encoding and decoding with one click.
Two Modes
Component encoding for params or full URI encoding.
Character Breakdown
See which characters were encoded and their replacements.
100% Private
All processing happens locally in your browser.
Use Cases
- Query Parameters: Encode values with spaces and special characters for URL params.
- API Requests: Encode data for GET request URLs and form submissions.
- Redirect URLs: Encode callback URLs and redirect parameters safely.
- Debugging: Decode percent-encoded URLs to read the original values.
- SEO: Create clean, properly encoded URLs for search engines.
Benefits
- Instant encoding and decoding with no server dependency.
- Two encoding modes for different use cases.
- Character-by-character breakdown of encoded characters.
- Handles all Unicode characters including international text.
- Free, no signup, works on all devices.
Understanding URL Encoding
URL encoding, also known as percent-encoding, is the process of converting characters into a format that can be safely transmitted in a URL. URLs can only contain a specific set of characters defined by RFC 3986. Characters outside this set — including spaces, quotes, angle brackets, and non-ASCII characters — must be encoded as percent-encoded sequences.
How Percent Encoding Works
Each unsafe character is converted to its UTF-8 byte representation, and each byte is expressed as a percent sign followed by two hexadecimal digits. For example, a space becomes %20, an ampersand becomes %26, and the letter é becomes %C3%A9. This ensures that the URL is unambiguous and can be correctly parsed by servers and browsers.
Component vs Full URI Encoding
JavaScript provides two encoding functions: encodeURIComponent and encodeURI. Component encoding converts all special characters including colons, slashes, and question marks — ideal for encoding individual query parameter values. Full URI encoding preserves URL structure characters like :, /, ?, and # — better for encoding complete URLs where you want to keep the structure intact.
Developer Workflow Integration
URL encoding is essential when building APIs and web applications. After encoding your URLs, you might need to encode data payloads in Base64 using our Base64 Encoder Decoder. For checking HTTP responses, use the HTTP Status Checker. Test your encoded URLs in the Online Code Editor with JavaScript fetch calls. For generating UUIDs for your API endpoints, try the UUID Generator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is URL encoding?
URL encoding converts special characters into percent-encoded format (%XX) so they can be safely included in URLs without breaking the URL structure.
When should I use Component vs Full URI encoding?
Use Component encoding for individual values like query parameters. Use Full URI encoding when encoding a complete URL and want to preserve structure characters.
Why do spaces become %20?
Spaces are not allowed in URLs. %20 is the percent-encoded representation of a space character (ASCII code 32, hex 20).
Does it support international characters?
Yes, the tool fully supports Unicode including Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, accented characters, and emojis.
Is my data sent to a server?
No. All encoding and decoding runs locally in your browser.
What is the difference between + and %20 for spaces?
In URL query strings, + traditionally represents a space (form encoding), while %20 is the standard percent-encoding. Both are valid but %20 is more universally accepted.
Is it free?
Yes, 100% free with no restrictions.