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URL Encoder / Decoder

Encode or decode URLs and query parameters in one click. Supports full URL and component encoding.

Result appears here
ℹ️ How to use
  1. Choose Encode or Decode from the tabs
  2. Paste your URL or text in the box
  3. Select encoding type — use Component for query params, URI for full URLs
  4. Click Convert — then copy the result

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-FAQ

Why URLs Need Encoding

URLs (web addresses) can only contain a limited set of characters defined by the RFC 3986 standard: letters, digits, hyphens, underscores, tildes, and periods. Every other character — spaces, ampersands, question marks, equal signs, hash symbols, and any non-ASCII character including Hindi, Tamil, or Gujarati script — must be percent-encoded before it can be safely used in a URL. Without encoding, a URL breaks, the server misinterprets parameters, or the link simply doesn't work.

How Percent Encoding Works

Each character is replaced with a % followed by its two-digit hexadecimal ASCII code. Common examples:

When Developers Need URL Encoding

JavaScript equivalent: encodeURIComponent() encodes everything except letters, digits, - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ). Use it for individual parameter values. encodeURI() preserves the URL structure and is for encoding a complete URL. Never build URLs by string concatenation — always encode values.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What is URL encoding?

URL encoding (percent encoding) replaces special characters with a % sign followed by two hexadecimal digits. For example, a space becomes %20 and & becomes %26. This ensures URLs are transmitted correctly over the internet.

What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?

encodeURI encodes a complete URL and preserves characters like :, /, ?, &, = and #. encodeURIComponent encodes individual components (like query values) and also encodes those reserved characters. Use encodeURIComponent for query string values.

Why do URLs need encoding?

URLs can only contain a limited set of safe ASCII characters. Characters like spaces, Chinese characters, emojis or symbols like & and = must be encoded so they are not mistaken for URL structure delimiters.

What characters are safe in URLs?

The unreserved characters that do not need encoding are: A–Z, a–z, 0–9, hyphen (-), underscore (_), period (.) and tilde (~). All other characters should be percent-encoded in URL components.

How do I decode a URL with %20 or %2F?

Paste the encoded URL into this tool with the Decode tab selected and click Convert. %20 decodes to a space, %2F to a forward slash /, %26 to &, and so on.