URL Encoder / Decoder
Encode or decode URLs and special characters for web addresses, so links transfer safely and process correctly in forms. Runs in your browser, GDPR-compliant.
Your inputs are processed in your browser and are not transmitted to our servers. Note: third-party resources (e.g. advertising and analytics from Google/Cloudflare) and an optional PayPal donation link may transfer data when loading or when clicked. Browser extensions or plugins may be able to read content that is visible in the input fields.
The result will appear here …
How to use this tool (video)
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URL Encoder and Decoder: Encode Special Characters Correctly
URL encoding converts spaces, accented characters, emojis, and other reserved characters into a safe format for web addresses. This tool encodes text for URLs and decodes percent-encoded URLs back into readable text.
Percent encoding explained
Unsafe characters are replaced with a percent sign followed by a hexadecimal byte value. For example, a space becomes %20. Encoding keeps query strings and paths unambiguous for browsers and servers.
Frequently asked questions
What is URL encoding and why do I need it?
URL encoding, also called percent encoding, replaces characters that are not allowed directly in web addresses with a percent sign and a hex code. Spaces, accented characters and special characters become a safe, transferable form so browsers and servers understand the URL unambiguously.
How do I encode my URL with this tool?
Paste your text into the input field and choose Encode. The tool converts the text through the standard encodeURIComponent function into a URL-safe version you can copy directly.
What is the difference between encoding and decoding?
Encoding turns plain text into a URL-safe version, for example a space becomes %20. Decoding reverses this and turns a percent-encoded URL back into readable text, which is useful for debugging API responses or log files.
Which characters must be encoded in a URL?
Spaces, accented characters, emojis and reserved characters such as ?, &, # or + in the path must be encoded so they do not collide with the URL structure. Letters, numbers and a few special characters like hyphen and underscore stay unchanged.
Is my data sent to a server?
No. Encoding and decoding run entirely in your browser. Your text is not transmitted to our server and is not stored.