Online URL Encoder & Decoder | Percent-Encoding Tool

About the Online URL Encoder/Decoder

Our URL Encoder/Decoder is an essential tool for web developers, SEO specialists, and anyone working with URLs. It provides a simple way to convert URLs into a 'percent-encoded' format, which is crucial for ensuring that web browsers and servers correctly interpret special characters in URLs (like spaces, &, ?, etc.). You can also decode percent-encoded URLs back into their original, human-readable form. This process is vital for handling data in query strings, building robust web applications, and ensuring data integrity during web transit.

How to Use Our Tool

Paste or type the URL or text string into the 'Input' field.
To encode, click the 'Encode' button. The tool will convert all applicable characters into their percent-encoded equivalents (e.g., ' ' becomes '%20').
To decode, click the 'Decode' button. The tool will convert percent-encoded sequences back to their original characters.
The result will instantly appear in the 'Output' field.
Use the 'Copy' button to copy the result to your clipboard, or 'Load Demo' to see an example.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is URL encoding (percent-encoding)?

URL encoding converts reserved and non-ASCII characters in a URL to a format that is universally accepted by web servers and browsers. It works by replacing the special character with a '%' sign followed by its two-digit hexadecimal representation. For example, a space is encoded as '%20'.

When should I encode a URL?

You should encode any URL that will be part of another URL's query string. This is common when passing data through GET parameters. Encoding prevents the data from being misinterpreted by the server and ensures the URL structure remains valid.

What's the difference between encodeURIComponent() and encodeURI()?

In JavaScript, `encodeURIComponent()` encodes all characters except for a very small set, making it ideal for encoding query string parameters. `encodeURI()` encodes fewer characters and is meant for encoding a full URI, as it will not encode characters with special meaning in a URL (like ':', '/', '?', '&', '='). Our tool uses `encodeURIComponent` for maximum safety.

Is this tool free to use?

Yes, our Online URL Encoder/Decoder is completely free. There are no usage limits. Encode and decode as many URLs as you need.

URL Encoder/Decoder