Free

Free URL Encoder & Decoder Online

A free URL encoder and decoder: percent-encode URLs or decode them back — two modes, instant.

Free tool · No sign-up · Private

Component mode escapes everything except letters, digits and - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ) — use it for query values and path segments.

Text or URL to encode

Result

Private by design. Encoding runs on the built-in JavaScript URI functions inside your browser. Your links are never sent to a server.

Formats & limits

What this tool handles

Straightforward limits, stated plainly.

Two encoding modes

Component mode encodes a single value (like a search query); full URL mode encodes a whole link while keeping its ://, ?, & and = structure valid.

Unicode safe

Non-ASCII characters — Urdu, Arabic, emoji — are encoded as UTF-8 percent sequences, exactly like modern browsers do.

Live conversion

No submit button. The result updates on every keystroke, so you can watch exactly how each character gets encoded.

No length cap

Paste long tracking URLs or giant query strings — the tool handles multi-kilobyte inputs without breaking a sweat.

How it works

Three steps to encoded

Choose encode or decode

Pick Encode to turn plain text into %20-style encoding, or Decode to turn an encoded string back into readable text.

Pick the right mode

Use component mode for query values and path segments, full URL mode when you paste a complete link you want to keep structurally valid.

Copy the result

Conversion happens live as you type. Hit Copy result and paste it into your code, browser, or API request.

Use cases

When URL encoding helps

Build query strings

Search terms with spaces and & characters break links if left raw. Encode the value first, then drop it into ?q=.

Fix broken shared links

A link pasted from chat may contain raw spaces or brackets. Encode it properly and it becomes clickable everywhere.

Debug redirects

OAuth and payment callbacks carry encoded URLs inside URLs. Decode the outer layer to see where the inner link actually points.

Read tracking links

Marketing emails wrap destinations in encoded tracking URLs. Decode to verify the real destination before clicking.

API parameters

REST APIs often require encoded parameters in the URL path. Generate them here instead of guessing the escape rules.

FAQ

URL encoding questions

What's the difference between component and full URL mode?

Component mode (encodeURIComponent) escapes almost everything except letters, digits and - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ) — use it for query values like search terms. Full URL mode (encodeURI) leaves :// ? & = / # intact and only encodes truly unsafe characters — use it when pasting a complete link.

Why do spaces show up as %20?

URLs can only contain a limited set of characters, so unsafe ones are replaced with a % followed by their hex code. A space is %20, an ampersand is %26, and a question mark is %3F. This is called percent-encoding.

When do I need to decode a URL?

When you're debugging redirect chains, tracking links, or API callbacks and the link arrives as one long %3A%2F%2F mess. Decode it to see the real parameters, or to check whether a link is hiding a suspicious destination.

Is my URL uploaded anywhere?

No. Encoding and decoding run entirely in your browser with the built-in encodeURI / decodeURI functions. The links you paste never leave your device.

What if decoding shows garbage characters?

The text was probably encoded with a different character set than UTF-8, or it was double-encoded (%2520 instead of %20). Try decoding twice — double-encoded strings are common in redirect URLs.

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