URL Encoder / Decoder
Percent-encode and decode URLs and query string components.
Input
Output
What is the URL Encoder / Decoder?
The URL Encoder / Decoder converts text to and from percent-encoding, the mechanism URLs use to carry characters that would otherwise break their syntax. Spaces, ampersands, question marks, non-ASCII characters, and reserved symbols must be encoded as %XX sequences when placed inside query strings or path segments.
URL encoding replaces unsafe characters with percent escapes (a space becomes %20); URL decoding reverses that, turning %20 back into a space. This tool uses the standard encodeURIComponent and decodeURIComponent behavior, so results match exactly what JavaScript produces — and malformed sequences are reported clearly instead of throwing cryptic errors.
How to use the URL Encoder / Decoder
- Paste text (to encode) or a percent-encoded string (to decode) into the input.
- Click Encode or Decode.
- Use Swap to feed the output back into the input.
- Copy the result to your clipboard.
Examples
Encode a query value
user@example.com → user%40example.com
Decode
caf%C3%A9%20menu → café menu
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between encoding and decoding?
Encoding converts special characters into %XX escapes so they can travel safely inside a URL. Decoding reverses the process, restoring the original characters from the escapes.
Should I encode a whole URL or just parts of it?
Encode individual components (query values, path segments) with this tool. Encoding a complete URL would escape the : and / separators that give the URL its structure.
Why does decoding fail with a malformed URI error?
The input contains an incomplete percent sequence, like a lone % or %G1. The tool reports this clearly instead of failing silently.
How are + signs handled?
When decoding, + is treated as a space (the common form-encoding convention). When encoding, spaces become %20, which is safe everywhere.
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