URL Encoder / Decoder
Encode or decode URLs and query strings for safe web transmission.
About URL Encoder / Decoder
Free URL encoder and decoder tool. Encode special characters to percent-encoded equivalents or decode URLs back to readable text. Essential for web developers working with APIs, query parameters, and redirect URLs. Supports full URL and component-level encoding.
Browser-based URL encoding that follows RFC 3986 standards. Unlike some tools that miss certain special characters or break on Unicode input, our encoder correctly handles all characters including emoji, accented letters, and symbols.
How to Use URL Encoder / Decoder
- 1Select your mode: 'Encode' to convert text for URL use, or 'Decode' to read an encoded URL.
- 2Paste your URL, query parameter value, or text into the input field.
- 3Click 'Encode URL' or 'Decode URL' to process your input.
- 4The percent-encoded or decoded result appears below.
- 5Click 'Copy' to copy the result for use in your application.
Key Features
Use Cases for URL Encoder / Decoder
Building API Query Parameters
When constructing API URLs programmatically, query parameter values must be URL-encoded. Spaces become %20, & becomes %26, and = becomes %3D. Our encoder handles all special characters.
Sharing URLs with Special Characters
URLs with special characters (spaces, accented letters, symbols) break when copied directly. URL-encode the path and query segments to create properly formatted shareable links.
Debugging Redirect Chains
Complex redirect chains often contain nested encoded URLs. Our decoder reveals what each encoded URL actually points to, making it easier to debug redirect loops and tracking parameters.
Working with Tracking Parameters
Marketing tracking URLs (UTM parameters) often include encoded values. Decode these URLs to understand exactly what campaign, source, and medium data they're passing to analytics tools.
When encoding URLs, use encodeURIComponent (which this tool implements) rather than encodeURI. encodeURIComponent encodes all special characters including / and ?, which is what you need when encoding individual query parameter values rather than full URLs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do URLs need encoding?
URLs can only contain certain ASCII characters. Special characters (spaces, &, =, #, etc.) must be percent-encoded (e.g., space → %20) to be valid in a URL.
What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?
encodeURI encodes a full URL, preserving characters like / and ?. encodeURIComponent encodes individual components (like query values), encoding those characters too.
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