URL Encoder & Decoder

Percent-encode characters that aren't allowed in URLs, or decode an encoded query string back to readable text.

100% client-side · nothing is uploaded

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How to use the URL

Choose the mode you need with the Encode / Decode toggle at the top of the tool.
Type or paste your text into the Input box — the result appears instantly as you type.
Use Swap (⇅) to move the output back into the input and flip the mode, which is handy for round-trips.
Click Copy to copy the result, or Clear to start over.

Privacy: this tool runs entirely in your browser. Your input is never sent to, received by, or stored on any server — there are no uploads and no tracking of what you enter.

About URL

What is URL encoding?

URL (percent) encoding replaces unsafe or reserved characters in a URL with a % followed by two hexadecimal digits. For example a space becomes %20 and an ampersand becomes %26. This keeps URLs unambiguous when they travel across the web.

Reserved vs. unreserved characters

Unreserved characters (letters, digits, - _ . ~) are never encoded. Reserved characters such as ? & = # / have special meaning in a URL and must be encoded when used as literal data inside a query value.

encodeURIComponent vs encodeURI

This tool uses encodeURIComponent, which encodes characters like &, = and ? — ideal for individual query-string values. Use it on each parameter, not on a whole URL.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between encoding a full URL and a component?

Encode each query-string value separately. Encoding a whole URL would wrongly escape the ://, ? and & that give the URL its structure.

Why is a space sometimes %20 and sometimes +?

In the path, spaces become %20. In old form submissions (application/x-www-form-urlencoded) they become +. This decoder treats + as a space.

Is it safe to paste sensitive URLs here?

Yes — processing is 100% local in your browser; nothing leaves your device.