URL Encoder & Decoder
URI Component: Encodes all special characters including &, =, +, and more. Use this for query parameters, form data, or any text that will be part of a URL.
About URL Encoder & Decoder
URL encoding (also known as percent-encoding) converts characters into a format that can be safely transmitted over the Internet. Special characters, spaces, and non-ASCII characters are converted to percent signs followed by hexadecimal values (e.g., space becomes %20). This tool provides both URI Component encoding (for query parameters and form data) and Full URI encoding (for complete URLs). All encoding and decoding happens in your browser for complete privacy.
How to Use
- Select "Encode" mode (selected by default).
- Choose "URI Component" for query parameters or "Full URI" for complete URLs.
- Type or paste your text into the input field.
- The tool will automatically encode your text.
- Click "Copy" to copy the encoded result to your clipboard.
Encode Text or URLs
- Select "Decode" mode.
- Choose the same encoding type that was used to encode the string.
- Paste your URL-encoded string into the input field.
- The tool will automatically decode it to plain text.
- Click "Copy" to copy the decoded text to your clipboard.
Decode URL-Encoded Strings
Frequently Asked Questions
What is URL encoding?
URL encoding (percent-encoding) is a method to encode special characters in URLs using percent signs followed by hexadecimal values. For example, a space becomes %20, an ampersand (&) becomes %26. This ensures data can be safely transmitted in URLs without breaking the URL structure.
When should I use URI Component vs Full URI encoding?
Use URI Component encoding (encodeURIComponent) when encoding individual parts of a URL like query parameters, form values, or path segments. Use Full URI encoding (encodeURI) when you have a complete URL that you want to encode while preserving its structure (://?&= characters).
Why are some characters encoded differently?
URI Component encoding is more aggressive—it encodes almost all special characters including &, =, +, #, etc. Full URI encoding preserves URL structure characters so the URL remains valid. For example, & and = are preserved in Full URI but encoded in URI Component.
What characters need to be encoded?
Characters that need encoding include: spaces, quotes, <, >, #, %, {, }, |, \, ^, ~, [, ], `, and non-ASCII characters like accented letters or emojis. Reserved characters like &, =, +, ? may also need encoding depending on context.
Can I encode international characters and emojis?
Yes! This tool properly handles all UTF-8 characters including international letters, symbols, and emojis. They will be converted to percent-encoded sequences (e.g., 😀 becomes %F0%9F%98%80).
What does "Invalid URL-encoded string" mean?
This error appears when trying to decode text that contains invalid percent-encoding sequences. Valid URL encoding uses % followed by exactly two hexadecimal digits (0-9, A-F). Incomplete sequences like %2 or invalid characters like %ZZ will cause this error.
How is URL encoding different from Base64?
URL encoding is specifically designed for URLs—it only encodes special characters that would break URLs. Base64 encodes all data into a safe ASCII format but increases size by ~33%. Use URL encoding for URLs and query strings, use Base64 for binary data or when you need to encode everything.
Is my data secure?
Yes! All encoding and decoding happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your data is never sent to any server. However, remember that URL encoding is not encryption—it only makes text URL-safe and can be easily decoded by anyone.