URL Encoder / Decoder
Encode or decode URLs and query string parameters.
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How to use URL Encoder / Decoder
- 1Paste your URL or text in the input
- 2Click 'Encode' to URL-encode or 'Decode' to decode
- 3Copy the result with one click
Pro tip: Essential for encoding query parameters in URLs or decoding encoded links.
What is URL Encoding/Decoding?
URL encoding (also called percent-encoding) converts special characters into a format that can be safely transmitted in URLs. Characters like spaces, &, =, ?, and non-ASCII characters are replaced with a '%' followed by their hexadecimal value (e.g., space becomes %20). URL decoding reverses this process. Our free tool encodes and decodes URLs instantly in your browser.
When to Use URL Encoding
- Encoding query parameters that contain special characters (spaces, &, =)
- Preparing data for inclusion in GET request URLs
- Debugging URLs that contain encoded characters you can't read
- Encoding file paths or names with spaces for web servers
- Preparing redirect URLs with nested query strings
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do URLs need encoding?
URLs can only contain a limited set of ASCII characters. Special characters (spaces, &, =, #, etc.) have reserved meanings in URLs. Encoding ensures these characters are transmitted literally without being interpreted as URL structure.
What's the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?
encodeURI encodes a complete URL but preserves characters like :, /, ?, &, and #. encodeURIComponent encodes everything including those characters — use it for individual query parameter values, not full URLs.
Why is my space showing as %20 or +?
Both represent a space. %20 is standard percent-encoding used in URLs. The + sign is used specifically in application/x-www-form-urlencoded format (HTML form submissions). They're interchangeable in query strings.
Do I need to encode emojis in URLs?
Yes. Emojis and all non-ASCII characters must be URL-encoded. They're first converted to UTF-8 bytes, then each byte is percent-encoded. For example, 😀 becomes %F0%9F%98%80.