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URL Encode & Decode

Percent-encode text for URLs and decode it back, both directions.

Direction

Converted live as you type. Nothing leaves your browser.

Percent-encoding reference

space%20
!%21
"%22
#%23
$%24
%%25
&%26
'%27
(%28
)%29
*%2A
+%2B
,%2C
/%2F
:%3A
;%3B
=%3D
?%3F
@%40
[%5B
]%5D

Unreserved characters (A to Z, a to z, 0 to 9, and - _ . ~) are never encoded. The reserved and unsafe characters above are converted to their percent codes in a query value.

How to URL encode or decode text online

  1. Choose a direction

    Select Encode to percent-encode plain text or Decode to turn percent sequences back into characters.

  2. Set the scope when encoding

    By default, reserved characters like /, ?, and & are escaped so the text works as a single query value. Toggle Whole URL to keep a full address structurally intact.

  3. Enter your text

    Typing or pasting updates the result immediately; there is no submit step.

  4. Copy the output

    Use Copy to clipboard to move the encoded or decoded string where it is needed.

Why use this tool

Component and whole-URL modes

By default, individual values are fully escaped for use in a query string. The Whole URL toggle switches to a lighter encoding that leaves :, /, ?, and & in place.

Decodes both kinds

Decoding reverses output from either encode mode in a single pass, so you never need to know which mode produced a string.

Multi-byte characters handled

Percent-encoding operates on UTF-8 bytes, so an emoji becomes its full multi-byte percent sequence and comes back intact.

Bad sequences caught

A stray % or a truncated escape like %A produces an inline error message instead of a broken result.

Live in both directions

The output tracks the input on every keystroke, in encode and decode mode alike.

Query strings stay private

URLs often embed tokens and personal data; here they are processed entirely on the page and never reach a server.

About this tool

This URL encoder percent-encodes text as a single component by default, encodes a complete address when the Whole URL toggle is active, and turns percent sequences back into characters in the other direction. The distinction matters: component encoding escapes reserved characters such as /, ?, &, and =, which is what a single query-string value needs, while whole-URL encoding leaves that structure alone so a complete address remains a working link.

Percent-encoding comes up whenever text meets a URL: building query strings by hand while testing an API, escaping a redirect target or callback URL before nesting it inside another URL, making a search phrase with spaces and punctuation safe for an href, or decoding a tracking-laden address to see what it actually contains. The malformed-sequence error also makes this a quick way to find the truncated escape that breaks a pasted link.

Strings are processed on your device only, worth knowing since real-world URLs regularly carry session tokens and email addresses. Percent-encoding is for URL safety, not for binary data; when arbitrary bytes need to become printable text, Base64 encode and decode is the right tool. To turn a headline into a clean lowercase URL path rather than escape it, use slugify, and a finished link can go straight into the QR code generator.

Frequently asked questions

What is URL encoding?
URL encoding, also called percent-encoding, replaces characters that are unsafe or reserved in a URL with a percent sign followed by their hex byte value, like a space becoming %20. It lets you safely put arbitrary text into query strings, paths, and form data.
What is the difference between the two encode modes?
Component mode escapes reserved characters like /, ?, &, and = so the text is safe as a single query value or path segment. Whole URL mode leaves those structural characters intact so an entire address stays valid. Decoding reverses both in a single pass.
How do I use it?
Choose Encode or Decode, then type or paste your text. The result updates live and the copy button copies it to your clipboard. Encoding uses UTF-8, so accents and emoji are escaped and restored correctly.
What happens with invalid input when decoding?
If the input contains a malformed percent sequence, such as a lone % or an incomplete %A, the tool shows an inline error instead of crashing so you can fix the string. Empty input simply shows nothing.
Is my text uploaded anywhere?
No. Encoding and decoding run entirely in your browser. Your text never leaves your device, is never sent to a server, and is not stored or logged.

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