URL Encoder/Decoder

About URL Encoder & Decoder

Our free URL encoder and decoder tool helps you convert special characters in URLs to their percent-encoded equivalents and back again. Whether you are building web applications, testing APIs, or debugging query strings, this tool provides instant, accurate URL encoding that complies with RFC 3986 standards.

Percent-encoding (also known as URL encoding) replaces unsafe ASCII characters with a percent sign followed by two hexadecimal digits. For example, a space becomes %20, an ampersand becomes %26, and non-ASCII characters are encoded using their UTF-8 byte sequences. This process is essential for transmitting data reliably in URLs, form submissions, and HTTP requests.

All processing happens entirely in your browser -- no data is ever sent to a server. This makes our online URL encoder completely private and secure for encoding sensitive parameters, authentication tokens, or any text that needs to be safely included in a URL.

Key Features

• Simultaneous URL encoding and decoding in real time
• RFC 3986 compliant percent-encoding for all characters
• Full Unicode and UTF-8 character support
• Instant conversion as you type with zero delay
• One-click copy to clipboard for encoded or decoded output
• Built-in examples for URLs, query strings, and special characters
• Safe characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, -, _, ., ~) are preserved automatically
• Client-side processing ensures complete data privacy
• Clear all button to reset inputs and outputs instantly
• Dark mode support for comfortable use in any environment

How to Use the URL Encoder

1. Enter your text: Type or paste a URL, query parameter, or any text into the input field at the top of the tool.
2. View encoded output: The URL-encoded version appears instantly in the left output panel, with all special characters converted to percent-encoded format.
3. View decoded output: If you paste an already-encoded string, the right panel shows the decoded, human-readable version.
4. Copy the result: Click the Copy button next to either output to copy the encoded or decoded text to your clipboard.
5. Try an example: Click any of the pre-built examples below the output to quickly see how different inputs are encoded.
6. Clear and start over: Use the Clear All button to reset all fields and begin a new encoding session.

Use Cases

• API Development: Encode query parameters and path segments before sending HTTP requests to REST or GraphQL APIs.
• Form Data Handling: Ensure form field values with special characters are properly encoded for POST and GET submissions.
• Redirect URLs: Encode callback and redirect URLs that contain nested query strings or fragment identifiers.
• SEO & Analytics: Decode tracking URLs to inspect UTM parameters, campaign tags, and referrer data.
• Email Templates: Encode mailto links and subject lines that contain spaces, ampersands, or other reserved characters.
• Debugging: Decode percent-encoded URLs from server logs, browser developer tools, or error messages to understand the original request.
• Internationalization: Encode non-ASCII characters such as accented letters, CJK characters, or emoji for safe inclusion in URLs.
• Security Testing: Verify that your application properly handles encoded and double-encoded input to prevent injection vulnerabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tips & Best Practices

• Encode values, not keys: When building query strings, encode only the parameter values, not the entire key=value pair or URL structure.
• Avoid double encoding: If your text is already encoded (contains %20, %26, etc.), decoding it first before re-encoding prevents double percent-encoding issues.
• Use the decoded view for debugging: Paste a URL from browser logs or network tools into the input to see the decoded, human-readable version instantly.
• Test with special characters: Try inputs with ampersands (&), plus signs (+), hash symbols (#), and Unicode characters to ensure your application handles all edge cases.
• Check the examples: The built-in examples cover common scenarios like URLs with query parameters, special characters, and email addresses to help you understand encoding behavior.
• Remember safe characters: Letters (A-Z, a-z), digits (0-9), hyphens (-), underscores (_), periods (.), and tildes (~) do not need encoding and are left unchanged.