URL Encoder / Decoder
Paste a URL, query value, or any text and instantly percent-encode or decode it. Switch between Component mode (a single value) and Full URL mode (a whole link), then copy the result with one tap. Everything runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
What is the URL Encoder / Decoder?
The URL Encoder / Decoder turns any URL or query-string value into a safe,
percent-encoded string — and turns it back again. Browsers and servers only
allow a limited set of characters inside a URL, so spaces, accents, and
reserved symbols like &, ?, =, and
# have to be escaped into %XX form before they
travel over the web. This tool does that url encode and
url decode step instantly, right in your browser, with no
upload and no waiting.
Because every transformation runs locally, nothing you paste — including auth tokens, signed URLs, or query parameters — ever leaves your device. That makes it safe for the sensitive links and secrets you would never want to send to a stranger's server.
How to use it
- Paste your text, URL, or query value into the input box.
- Pick Encode or Decode.
- Pick a mode: Component (a single value like a search term or token) or Full URL (an entire link you want to keep readable).
- Read the result instantly below — it updates as you type.
- Tap Copy to grab the output. That is it — answer in one second, then get on with your work.
The method behind it
This tool wraps the browser's built-in, standards-compliant functions — no
custom math, no guessing. Percent-encoding works by replacing a character with
a % sign followed by its two-digit hexadecimal byte value, so a
space becomes %20 and an ampersand becomes %26.
- Component mode maps to
encodeURIComponent/decodeURIComponent. Component mode escapes reserved characters like ampersand and equals and question mark and slash, so the value is safe to drop inside a query string or path segment. - Full URL mode maps to
encodeURI/decodeURI. It leaves the characters that structure a URL (: / ? & = #) untouched and only escapes the genuinely illegal ones, so a whole link stays intact.
Examples
- Encode a search value (Component):
coffee & creambecomescoffee%20%26%20cream. - Encode a whole link (Full URL):
https://x.com/search?q=hot teabecomeshttps://x.com/search?q=hot%20tea— the://,?, and=are preserved. - Decode a query string:
name%3DJ%C3%BCrgen%26city%3DM%C3%BCnchenbecomesname=Jürgen&city=München.
Common use cases
- Building API request URLs and signed query parameters by hand.
- Debugging why a link breaks when it contains spaces,
&, or non-ASCII characters. - Reading an encoded redirect or OAuth
redirect_urithat someone pasted into a ticket. - Preparing
mailto:,tel:, or deep-link values for HTML and mobile apps. - Cleaning up tracking URLs and UTM parameters before sharing.
Why use this one
Encode and decode live in one page — there is no second URL to switch to. The
two modes sit side by side, so you never accidentally pick
encodeURIComponent when you needed encodeURI and
silently break a link; most competitors expose only one. Everything is
private and runs locally, and the output updates instantly with a one-tap
copy — no round-trip button, no clutter.
It pairs naturally with its developer-cluster siblings. Reach for the Base64 Encode / Decode tool when a value needs Base64 instead of percent-encoding, the JSON Formatter to tidy a payload you just decoded, or the UUID Generator to mint ids for the parameters you are building.
Frequently asked questions
What is URL encoding?
URL encoding (percent-encoding) replaces characters that are unsafe or reserved in a URL with a percent sign followed by two hex digits — for example a space becomes %20 and an ampersand becomes %26 — so the URL stays valid when sent over the web.
What is the difference between encodeURIComponent and encodeURI?
encodeURIComponent escapes almost every reserved character (including &, =, ?, /, #), so it is correct for a single query value or path segment. encodeURI leaves the characters that structure a URL intact, so it is meant for encoding a whole URL at once. This tool exposes both as Component mode and Full URL mode.
When should I use Component mode versus Full URL mode?
Use Component mode when you are encoding one piece of data you will drop into a query string or path, such as a search term or a token. Use Full URL mode when you have an entire link and only want the illegal characters escaped without breaking the slashes, colons, and ampersands that hold the URL together.
Is my data sent to a server?
No. All encoding and decoding happens locally in your browser with JavaScript. Nothing you paste — including auth tokens, signed URLs, or query parameters — is ever uploaded, logged, or stored.
Why does decoding sometimes show a plus sign as a space?
In the application/x-www-form-urlencoded format used by HTML form query strings, a plus sign represents a space. When you decode a query string this tool can interpret + as a space; for strict percent-encoding only, %20 is used for spaces instead.