URL Encoder/Decoder

Encode or decode URLs.

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Features

Percent-Encoding

Converts special characters into a format safe for URLs.

Two-Way Functionality

Instantly encode a plain URL or decode an encoded one.

Real-time Updates

See the results update automatically as you type.

About URL Encoder/Decoder

The URL Encoder/Decoder tool converts strings into the percent-encoding format required for URLs, and vice versa. It ensures that special characters (like spaces, !, #) are safely transmitted over the internet. This is essential for developers working with web applications and APIs.

How to Use URL Encoder/Decoder

  • 1
    To Encode

    Paste your plain URL or text into the "Decoded URL" field on the left. The encoded version will appear on the right.

  • 2
    To Decode

    Paste an encoded URL string into the "Encoded URL" field on the right. The plain text version will appear on the left.

  • 3
    Copy Result

    Use the copy button below the desired output field to copy the text.

Frequently Asked Questions

URLs can only send text using a limited set of characters (ASCII). Characters like spaces, question marks, and foreign characters are not valid in their raw form and must be encoded (e.g., a space becomes %20) to be transmitted safely over the internet.
Any character that is not an unreserved alphanumeric character or specific symbol (like - _ . ~) gets percent-encoded. This includes spaces, emojis, and reserved characters like / ? & = when they are part of a query parameter.
Encoding converts unsafe characters into a format safe for transmission (e.g., 'Hello World' -> 'Hello%20World'). Decoding reverses this process, converting the encoded string back into human-readable text.
Yes, this tool runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No data is sent to any server, so your URLs and text remain private.
%20 is the URL-encoded representation of a space character. Since spaces are not allowed in URLs, they are replaced by '%' followed by their ASCII hex value (20).
In some contexts, like query strings (the part after the '?'), spaces are historically encoded as plus signs (+). However, %20 is the standard percent-encoding for a space in the path of a URL.