URL Encoder Decoder

Encode special characters in URLs using percent-encoding and decode percent-encoded URLs back to readable text.

What is URL encoding

URL encoding (also called percent-encoding) converts characters that are not allowed in a URL into a format that can be safely transmitted. Each unsafe character is replaced by a percent sign (%) followed by two hexadecimal digits. For example, a space becomes %20 and an ampersand becomes %26. This standard is defined in RFC 3986.

Why URLs need encoding

URLs can only contain a specific set of ASCII characters. Characters like spaces, question marks, hash signs, slashes, and most non-ASCII characters (like accented letters, Arabic, Chinese, or Urdu text) must be encoded before they appear in a URL. Without encoding, the browser or server may misinterpret the URL structure.

Common characters and their encoded forms

• Space → %20 (or + in form data)
• @ → %40
• # → %23
• & → %26
• = → %3D
• / → %2F
• ? → %3F
• + → %2B

When to use URL encoding

Use URL encoding when you are building query strings, generating shareable links that contain user-submitted text, creating API requests with dynamic parameters, or handling form submissions that include special characters. Decoding is useful when you receive a percent-encoded URL and need to read or edit the original values.

How to use URL Encoder Decoder

1. Choose Encode URL or Decode URL.
2. Paste your text or encoded URL in the input area.
3. The result updates instantly as you type.
4. Click Copy to copy the encoded or decoded output.

Why this tool is useful

• Handles all standard characters including Unicode and international text.
• Browser-based — no data leaves your device.
• Instant results without a submit button.
• Useful for API development, link building, and form testing.

Example use cases

Encode: hello world & more → hello%20world%20%26%20more

Decode: search%3Fq%3Dfree%20tools → search?q=free tools

Frequently asked questions

What characters need URL encoding?

Characters that need encoding include spaces, special characters like #, %, &, =, +, ?, /, @, and non-ASCII characters like accented letters or Unicode characters. Safe characters that do not need encoding are A–Z, a–z, 0–9, -, _, ., ~.

What is the difference between %20 and + for spaces?

%20 is the standard percent-encoding for a space in any URL context. The + sign is used as a space alternative specifically in HTML form data (application/x-www-form-urlencoded). In query strings, + is commonly treated as a space, but %20 is safer and more universal.

Does URL encoding change the meaning of the URL?

No. URL encoding and decoding are reversible. The encoded version and the decoded version represent the same resource. Encoding only converts characters to a safe format for transmission; it does not change what the URL points to.

Why is my URL showing %3F or %26 instead of ? and &?

These are the percent-encoded forms of ? (%3F) and & (%26). They appear when those characters are part of a parameter value rather than URL syntax. Decoding them gives the original readable URL.

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