URL Encoder/Decoder
EncodersNeed to encode or decode URLs? Our free online URL encoder/decoder helps you safely convert special characters for query parameters, web forms, and API requests.
Plain Text
Encoded
Need to encode or decode URLs? Our free online URL encoder/decoder helps you safely convert special characters for query parameters, web forms, and API requests.
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Tip
Use encodeURIComponent() for query parameter values to ensure separators like '&' are properly encoded.
Did You Know?
The '+' character is often used to represent a space in query strings, but %20 is the official RFC standard.
URL encoding, also known as percent-encoding, is a mechanism for encoding information in a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). Characters that are not permitted in a URL must be replaced by a % followed by their two-digit hexadecimal representation. This ensures that web servers and browsers correctly interpret data without confusing special characters—like ?, &, or =—with structural URL delimiters. It is essential for passing user input safely through the address bar.
Best Practice
Never encode an entire URL if it contains protocol prefixes like 'https://', as it will make the link unclickable.
Q: What characters are usually encoded? A: Reserved characters like ?, &, =, /, and spaces are typically encoded to prevent them from being misinterpreted by the browser.
Q: Is URL encoding the same as Base64? A: No, URL encoding (percent-encoding) is specifically designed for URIs, while Base64 is a general-purpose binary-to-text encoding format.
Q: Why are spaces encoded as %20? A: In the URI specification, a space is represented by its hexadecimal value (32), which is 20 in hex, preceded by a percent sign.
Q: Does this tool support UTF-8? A: Yes, our tool follows modern standards and correctly encodes and decodes multi-byte UTF-8 characters.
Tip
If a URL is unreadable due to heavy encoding, use the decoder to reveal the underlying parameters for easier debugging.