Free URL Encoder & Decoder - Encode URLs for Safe Transmission
Encode and decode URLs, query strings, and special characters. Perfect for API development, form handling, and safe URL generation.
What is URL Encoder/Decoder?
Our URL Encoder/Decoder helps you properly encode special characters in URLs for safe transmission over the internet. Whether you're building APIs, handling form submissions, or working with query parameters, our tool ensures URLs are correctly formatted and won't break.
URLs can only contain certain characters (letters, numbers, and a few symbols). Special characters like spaces, &, =, ?, #, and non-English characters must be percent-encoded to %20, %26, etc. This encoding is essential for query strings, form data, and any URL that contains user input or dynamic content.
The tool handles both encoding (text to %encoded) and decoding (%encoded back to readable text). It supports query string encoding, form data encoding, and component encoding with different encoding rules for each. See side-by-side before/after comparison for clarity.
All encoding happens locally in your browser using standard URL encoding algorithms. No server requests, no data storage - your URLs and query parameters remain completely private. Perfect for handling sensitive data or working offline.
Powerful Features
Everything you need in one amazing tool
Bidirectional Encoding
Encode URLs or decode encoded URLs. Both directions supported instantly.
International Characters
Handle UTF-8 characters properly. Encode Chinese, Arabic, emoji, any Unicode.
Multiple Encoding Types
Query string, path, component, form data encoding. Choose the right type.
Bulk Processing
Encode/decode multiple URLs at once. Process lists efficiently.
Before/After Preview
See original and encoded side by side. Understand encoding effects clearly.
One-Click Copy
Copy encoded/decoded URLs to clipboard instantly. Use in code immediately.
How It Works
Get started in 4 easy steps
Paste URL or Text
Paste URL with special characters or encoded URL. Paste query strings, paths, or full URLs.
Choose Direction
Select encode (text to URL-safe) or decode (URL-safe to text). Auto-detection available.
Process Instantly
Tool encodes/decodes using standard algorithms. See results immediately with previews.
Copy Result
Copy encoded/decoded URL to clipboard. Use in APIs, forms, or documentation.
Why Choose Our URL Encoder/Decoder?
Stand out from the competition
Instant Encoding
Encode/decode URLs in milliseconds. Real-time results as you type.
Standards Compliant
Follows RFC 3986 URL encoding standard. Works with all browsers and servers.
UTF-8 Support
Properly encode any Unicode character. International URLs supported fully.
Unlimited Processing
Encode unlimited URLs. No restrictions on length or quantity.
100% Private
All encoding local in browser. Your URLs never sent to servers.
Reversible
Decode previously encoded URLs. Get back original readable text.
Perfect For
See how others are using this tool
API Development
Encode query parameters for API requests. Ensure special characters don't break URLs.
Form Handling
Encode form data for URL submission. Handle user input with special characters safely.
Search Parameters
Encode search terms in query strings. Support searches with spaces and symbols.
Social Sharing
Encode URLs for social media sharing. Handle titles with emojis and symbols.
Redirect URLs
Encode destination URLs in redirect parameters. Pass URLs as query string values.
Debugging
Decode encoded URLs from logs and network requests. Understand what data is being sent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about URL Encoder/Decoder
URLs can only safely contain A-Z, a-z, 0-9, and these symbols: - _ . ~. All other characters must be percent-encoded. Common examples: space becomes %20, & becomes %26, = becomes %3D, ? becomes %3F, # becomes %23. Special characters like <, >, {, }, |, \ must also be encoded. Non-ASCII characters (accents, Chinese, emoji, etc.) are encoded as multiple percent sequences. Query strings have different rules than path components.
encodeURI() is for encoding full URLs and leaves certain characters unencoded (:, /, ?, &, =, @, #) so the URL structure stays valid. encodeURIComponent() encodes everything except A-Z, a-z, 0-9, -, _, ., ~, * - use this for query parameters and path components. Example: encodeURI keeps & in query strings, but encodeURIComponent encodes it to %26. Always use encodeURIComponent for user input going into URLs.
Both %20 and + can represent spaces, but in different contexts. In URL paths and most encoding, space → %20 (proper percent encoding). In application/x-www-form-urlencoded data (traditional HTML forms), space → + for historical reasons. Modern APIs almost always use %20. When decoding, both should be treated as spaces. Use %20 for consistency unless working with legacy form submissions that specifically require +.
Yes, but be careful about which parts you encode. For example, "https://example.com/search?q=hello world" - encode only the query parameter value: q=hello%20world. Don't encode the entire URL or you'll encode the ://, ?, & which breaks URL structure. Encode each component separately: paths, query keys/values individually. Our tool helps identify which parts need encoding based on URL structure.
Unicode characters are encoded to UTF-8 bytes, then each byte is percent-encoded. For example, "你好" (Chinese for "hello") becomes "%E4%BD%A0%E5%A5%BD" - multiple percent sequences. Emoji "😀" becomes "%F0%9F%98%80". This can make URLs very long. Most modern browsers display decoded Unicode in the address bar for readability, but send encoded versions to servers. Some APIs and systems have trouble with encoded Unicode, so test thoroughly.
No! All URL encoding and decoding happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript functions (encodeURIComponent, decodeURIComponent). Your URLs, query parameters, and form data never leave your device or get sent to any server. This makes it completely safe for encoding sensitive URLs, API keys in parameters, or confidential data that needs URL encoding. The tool works offline once loaded.
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