URL Encoder / Decoder
Encode text so it’s safe to use in a URL, or decode a percent-encoded URL back to readable text.
🔒 Everything you type stays in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server.
By Shah Rukh, software developer · Last updated:
What is URL encoding?
URLs can only contain a limited set of characters. Anything else, like spaces, accents, emoji or symbols with special meaning, is replaced with % followed by its byte value in hex. A space becomes %20 and & becomes %26.
Component vs full URL
- Component (default, like
encodeURIComponent): encodes everything except letters, digits and- _ . ! ~ * ' ( ). Use it for a single query value. - Full URL (like
encodeURI): keeps the characters that give a URL its structure.
| Character | Encoded |
|---|---|
| space | %20 |
| & | %26 |
| / | %2F |
| ? | %3F |
| = | %3D |
| # | %23 |
Frequently asked questions
Why is a space sometimes + and sometimes %20?
Form submissions encode spaces as +, while URLs use %20. This decoder accepts both.
Is URL encoding the same as encryption?
No. Anyone can decode it. It only makes text safe to put in a URL.
How do I encode emoji?
Just paste them. They’re encoded as UTF-8 bytes, such as %F0%9F%98%80.
Related tools
QR Code Generator
Free QR codes for links, Wi-Fi, text and contacts.
Color Picker & Palette
HEX, RGB and HSL codes plus matching palettes.
Contrast Checker
Check WCAG AA/AAA colour contrast for text.
Base64 Encoder / Decoder
Encode or decode Base64 text (UTF-8 safe).
Binary / Hex Converter
Convert between binary, octal, decimal and hex.
CSS Gradient Generator
Linear, radial and conic gradients with CSS code.