URL Encoder / Decoder

What is URL Encoder / Decoder?

The URL Encoder / Decoder is a small browser-based utility that converts ordinary text into percent-encoded form and back again. Percent-encoding swaps characters that are unsafe in a web address, such as spaces, ampersands, and non-ASCII letters, for a percent sign followed by a two-digit code, so any string can travel safely inside a URL or query string. Everything runs on your device, so nothing you paste ever leaves the page.

How to use URL Encoder / Decoder

Paste or type your URL or text into the top input box labeled "Type or paste a URL or text...".
Click "Encode" to percent-encode the text, or click "Decode" to turn a percent-encoded string back into readable characters.
Read the result in the lower "Result appears here..." box.
Click "Swap" to move the result into the input box, or click "Copy result" to copy it to your clipboard.

Tips

Encode only the query parameter values rather than the whole address if you want the question marks and ampersands to stay visible as separators.
Use "Swap" right after encoding to decode the result and confirm the round trip is lossless.
If "Decode" reports "Invalid percent-encoded input", check for a stray percent sign or a truncated escape sequence such as %2 at the end of the string.

FAQ

What is the difference between encoding and decoding?

Encoding converts readable text into percent-encoded form so it is safe to place in a URL, while decoding reverses that process and turns the percent codes back into the original characters.

When should I encode a value for a URL?

Encode any user-supplied value you plan to add to a query string, such as a search term or a name that may contain spaces or special symbols, so it does not break the address.

Why does decoding sometimes fail?

Decoding fails when the input contains an incomplete or invalid percent sequence, for example a percent sign that is not followed by two hexadecimal digits.