URL Encoder/Decoder
Free URL encoder decoder online — no signup required. Percent-encode special characters in URLs or decode encoded strings instantly in your browser. 100% client-side processing.
Component encoding (encodeURIComponent)
Encodes all special characters including / : ? # — use for query values and path segments.
Encoded output will appear here
Features
- URL encode and decode in one tool
- encodeURIComponent mode for query parameter values
- encodeURI mode for full URL encoding
- Handles spaces, special characters, and Unicode
- Decodes %XX percent-encoded sequences
- Instant results — no button press needed
Frequently Asked Questions
What is URL encoding?
URL encoding (also called percent encoding) replaces unsafe or reserved characters in a URL with a % sign followed by two hexadecimal digits. For example, a space becomes %20, and & becomes %26. This ensures URLs are valid and correctly interpreted by browsers and servers.
What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?
encodeURI encodes a complete URL, leaving characters like /, :, and ? unencoded since they have meaning in a full URL. encodeURIComponent encodes everything including /, ?, and &, making it suitable for encoding individual query parameter values that should not be interpreted as URL structure.
How do I decode a URL?
Paste the encoded URL or string into the Decode tab of our tool. The %XX encoded characters are decoded back to their original characters. For example, hello%20world becomes hello world.
Why do URLs have percent signs?
Percent signs in URLs indicate percent-encoded characters. Characters that are not allowed in URLs (like spaces, <, >, #, {, }) must be encoded as %XX where XX is the hexadecimal ASCII or UTF-8 code of the character.