URL Encode / Decode

Percent-encodes text for URLs or decodes it back.

URL Encode is a free online tool that percent-encodes text into a URL-safe form and decodes it back. Encoding escapes spaces, reserved characters, and Unicode (including emoji) as UTF-8 percent sequences, while decoding reverses the process. It is handy whenever you need to safely embed values in query strings, links, or APIs.

Common uses

  • Encode a query-string parameter so characters like &, =, ?, and spaces don't break the URL
  • Decode a percent-encoded URL segment to read the original human-readable value
  • Prepare Unicode or emoji text for use in a link by converting it to UTF-8 percent escapes
  • Quickly inspect or fix a malformed URL by decoding its components
  • Build or debug API request URLs where values must be percent-encoded

FAQ

Is my data sent to a server?

No. All encoding and decoding happen entirely in your browser using the built-in encodeURIComponent and decodeURIComponent functions. Nothing you type is uploaded or stored remotely.

Does this tool turn a plus sign into a space when decoding?

No. It uses decodeURIComponent, which treats '+' as a literal plus character. Form-style '+'-as-space decoding is a separate convention and is not applied here.

Why does decoding sometimes show an error?

Decoding fails on malformed percent sequences, such as a lone '%' or an incomplete escape like '%E0%A4'. Make sure every '%' is followed by two valid hex digits that form complete UTF-8 byte sequences.

Which characters are left unchanged when encoding?

Encoding follows encodeURIComponent, so letters, digits, and the characters - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ) pass through untouched. Everything else, including spaces and reserved characters, is percent-encoded.

How do I get back my original text?

Switch the mode to Decode and paste the encoded string. Encoding then decoding the same text returns the exact original input.

Related tools

  • Base32 Encode / Decode
  • Base58 Encode / Decode
  • Base62 Encode / Decode
  • Base64 Encode / Decode
  • Base64URL Encode / Decode
  • Binary ↔ Text
  • Char Codes
  • Hex ↔ Text