Free URL Encode / Decode

How to URL Encode and Decode Text

Type or paste text in the left panel and the URL-encoded output appears instantly on the right. To decode, paste a percent-encoded string in the right panel and the original text appears on the left. Use the "Full URL mode" checkbox to switch between encoding a URL component (default) and encoding a complete URL while preserving its structure.

When to Use URL Encoding

URL encoding is essential whenever you include user input, special characters, or non-ASCII text in a URL. Common use cases include building query strings for API requests, encoding form data for HTTP POST bodies, constructing redirect URLs with parameters, and safely embedding file paths or search terms in URLs. Without proper encoding, characters like &, =, and spaces can break URL parsing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is URL encoding?

URL encoding (also called percent-encoding) replaces unsafe characters in a URL with a percent sign followed by two hex digits representing the character's byte value. For example, a space becomes %20 and an ampersand becomes %26.

What is the difference between component and full URL mode?

Component mode (encodeURIComponent) encodes all special characters including /, ?, &, and =. Full URL mode (encodeURI) preserves URL structure characters like ://, /, ?, #, and & while encoding everything else. Use component mode for query parameter values and full URL mode for complete URLs.

Can I decode a URL-encoded string?

Yes — the tool is bidirectional. Paste a percent-encoded string in the right panel and the decoded text appears instantly in the left panel.

Is this tool free?

Yes — completely free, forever. No sign-up, no account, no usage limits.

Is my data safe?

All encoding and decoding happens locally in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing is uploaded to any server. It's safe to use with sensitive or proprietary data.

Why do URLs need encoding?

URLs can only contain a limited set of ASCII characters. Characters like spaces, quotes, angle brackets, and non-ASCII characters must be percent-encoded to be safely included in a URL without breaking its structure or being misinterpreted by servers and browsers.