URL Encode/Decode
Encode and decode URLs, handle special characters.
How to Use the URL Encoder/Decoder
- Paste your text — A query-string value, a filename, or any text containing spaces, &, =, ?, or non-ASCII characters.
- Encode or decode — Encode → converts special characters to percent-encoding (space becomes %20); ← Decode reverses it.
- Copy the result — One click to clipboard, ready to paste into your URL or code.
Why URLs Need Encoding
URLs were designed for a small set of safe characters. Spaces, ampersands, question marks, and any non-English text break that contract — an & in a search query accidentally splits parameters, a space truncates a filename, and Chinese or emoji characters aren't legal URL bytes at all. Percent-encoding wraps these characters as %XX byte values so servers parse the address exactly as you intended. If you've built a share link for a game lobby or a search URL with a player's nickname, encoding the parameter values is what keeps it working for everyone.
Component Encoding, Not Whole-URL Encoding
This tool uses encodeURIComponent — the strict, correct choice for parameter values — which encodes even : and /. So paste just the value part of a parameter, not a complete URL: encoding a full address would escape its structure. Decoding a full URL works fine, though.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which characters get encoded?
Everything except A–Z, a–z, 0–9, and - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ). Spaces become %20, & becomes %26, and non-ASCII text becomes UTF-8 byte sequences.
What is double encoding?
Encoding an already-encoded string — %20 becomes %2520. If a link shows %25 sequences, decode it once to see where the extra pass happened.
Is URL encoding a way to hide data?
No — anyone can decode it instantly. It's a transport format, not encryption. And since this tool runs locally in your browser, whatever you paste here never leaves your device.