URL Encoder/Decoder
Encode text and special characters for URLs. Decode percent-encoded URLs back to plain text.
Uses
- Encode special characters (&, ?, =, %, spaces) for query parameters
- Create safe URLs with percent-encoding (%20 for space, %26 for &)
- Decode API URLs and query strings
- Prepare data for URL parameters and form submissions
Why URLs can't contain just anything
A web address has a strict alphabet. Spaces, ampersands, question marks and most non-English characters have special meaning or simply aren't allowed, so they have to be "percent-encoded" — turned into codes like %20 for a space. Skip that step and links break or query parameters get misread.
Encode going out, decode coming in
Encode when you're building a URL or query string from text that might contain special characters. Decode when you've got a percent-encoded link and want to read it back in plain language. This tool does both in one click, which is handy when you're debugging a redirect or an API call and the URL has become an unreadable mess.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between URL encoding and Base64 encoding?
URL encoding converts characters to percent-encoded format (%XX) for safe use in URLs. Base64 encoding converts binary data to a text string for transmission in text-based systems. They serve different purposes — URL encoding is for URLs and query parameters, while Base64 is for encoding binary data in text fields.
Should I encode the entire URL or just the parameter values?
Only encode the parameter values, not the entire URL. Encoding the full URL would also encode the :// in https:// and the / between path segments, breaking the URL. Use this tool to encode specific values before adding them as query parameters.
What characters do not need to be URL encoded?
Letters (A–Z, a–z), digits (0–9), and the characters hyphen (-), underscore (_), period (.), and tilde (~) are considered safe and do not need encoding in URLs. All other characters should be percent-encoded.