How to Use the URL Encoder / Decoder

Select Encode to convert plain text into a URL-safe format, or Decode to convert a URL-encoded string back to readable text. The conversion happens automatically as you type — no button click needed.

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 transmitted over the internet. Special characters like spaces, @, #, and $ are replaced with a percent sign followed by two hexadecimal digits (e.g., space becomes %20).

Common Use Cases

Encoding query string parameters before appending to URLs
Preparing form data for HTTP POST requests
Encoding special characters in API endpoints
Debugging malformed URLs with encoded characters
Building dynamic links that include user-generated content

FAQ

What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?

This tool uses encodeURIComponent, which encodes all special characters including /, ?, and =. Use it to encode individual query parameter values. encodeURI is used for full URLs and leaves those characters intact.

Is my data safe?

Yes. All encoding and decoding happens in your browser. No data is sent to any server.