What Is a URL Encoder Decoder?
URL encoding, also called percent-encoding, replaces characters that are not allowed or have a special meaning in a web address with a percent sign followed by two hexadecimal digits. A space becomes %20, an ampersand becomes %26 and a non-English letter becomes a short sequence of bytes. A URL Encoder Decoder converts text to this form and back again.
This tool offers two encoding methods. Component encoding, which uses encodeURIComponent, escapes nearly everything and is what you want for a single query value or path segment. Full URL encoding, which uses encodeURI, leaves the structural characters such as colon, slash, question mark and ampersand alone so a complete address keeps working. Decoding reverses either method and warns you about broken sequences.
A Parse URL button splits any link into protocol, host, port, path, query string and hash, and lists every query parameter with its decoded value, which is a quick way to understand long tracking links.
How to Use the URL Encoder Decoder
- Choose Encode or Decode with the first drop-down.
- Pick Component for a single value, or Full URL for a whole address you want to keep working.
- Type or paste your text. The result appears immediately in the output box.
- When decoding form data, tick Treat + as space so plus signs become spaces.
- Press Parse URL to see the host, path and every query parameter of a complete link.
- Copy the output, or use Swap to run the result back through the opposite operation.
Key Features of Our URL Encoder Decoder
- Encode and decode with component or full-URL methods
- Live results as you type
- Optional plus-to-space handling for form data
- Friendly error for malformed percent sequences
- Parse URL breakdown with decoded query parameters
- Full Unicode support for accented and non-Latin text
- Copy, swap and clear buttons
- Private: runs entirely in your browser
Benefits of Using an Online URL Encoder Decoder
Broken links are often caused by one unescaped character. An ampersand inside a value splits it into two parameters, and a space can truncate a link in some apps. Encoding values correctly prevents these hard-to-spot bugs.
Decoding is just as useful. Long links full of %2F and %3D are unreadable until decoded, and the parser shows you exactly which parameters a link carries, which helps when debugging redirects, analytics tags and API calls.
Your privacy comes first. The URL Encoder Decoder runs entirely in your web browser. Nothing you enter is sent to our servers, which keeps your data private and makes results appear instantly. See our Privacy Policy for details.
Common Use Cases for the URL Encoder Decoder
- Building query strings for API requests
- Fixing links that break because of spaces or special characters
- Reading tracking and campaign URLs
- Preparing text for form submissions and redirects
- Debugging OAuth callback and redirect addresses
- Encoding file names and paths for downloads
- Checking how non-English text appears in a web address
- Teaching how URLs are structured
Tips for Getting the Best Results
- Encode each value separately, not the whole URL, when you build a query string yourself.
- Do not encode a full URL twice. Double encoding turns %20 into %2520 and breaks the link.
- Use Full URL mode only for complete addresses. It will not escape ampersands or equals signs inside values.
- A plus sign means a space only in form-style query strings. In paths it is a literal plus.
- If decoding fails, look for a lone percent sign that is not followed by two hex digits.
- Use Parse URL to confirm that every parameter ended up where you expected.
URL Encoder Decoder FAQ
What is URL encoding?
It is a way of writing characters that are unsafe or reserved in a URL as a percent sign followed by two hex digits, so the address is interpreted correctly by browsers and servers.
What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?
encodeURI keeps characters like colon, slash, question mark and ampersand so a full URL stays valid. encodeURIComponent escapes them too, which is correct for individual values.
Why does my decoded text still contain plus signs?
Plus signs are only treated as spaces in form-encoded data. Tick the Treat + as space option when decoding that kind of input.
Why do I get a malformed sequence error?
A percent sign must be followed by two hexadecimal digits, and multi-byte characters such as emoji need all of their bytes. A truncated or hand-edited string causes this error.
Is the URL Encoder Decoder safe for private links?
Yes. Processing happens in your browser and nothing you paste is sent to a server.
Can I encode non-English text?
Yes. Characters outside ASCII are converted to UTF-8 bytes and then percent-encoded, which is the standard used by modern browsers.