Free Online URL Encoder & Decoder
Encode plain text and URLs to percent-encoded format, or decode %XX encoded strings back to readable text. Supports full URL and component encoding modes.
Component mode: encodes everything including & ? = / — use for query parameter values.
What is URL Encoding?
URL encoding (also called percent encoding) converts characters that are not allowed in a URL into a %XX format, where XX is the hexadecimal value of the character. For example, a space becomes %20, and & becomes %26.
URL encoding is required when sending data in query strings, constructing API request URLs, or embedding parameters in links.
Component vs Full URL Mode
This tool offers two encoding modes:
- Component mode (
encodeURIComponent) — encodes everything including? & = / :. Use this for encoding individual query parameter keys or values. - Full URL mode (
encodeURI) — preserves URL structure characters like: / ? # & = @. Use this when encoding a complete URL.
How to Use
- Choose Encode or Decode mode.
- Select Component or Full URL encoding type.
- Paste your text or encoded string into the input field.
- Click Encode / Decode or press
Cmd/Ctrl + Enter. - Use Swap to move the output back to input and switch modes automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a space encode as %20 vs +?
%20 is the standard percent-encoding for a space in URLs. The + shorthand for spaces is only valid inside application/x-www-form-urlencoded form data, not in general URL paths or query strings. This tool uses the standard %20 format.
Is my data private?
Yes. All encoding and decoding happens locally in your browser. No data is sent to any server.
Common characters and their encoded equivalents
| Character | Encoded | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Space | %20 | Space character |
& | %26 | Ampersand |
= | %3D | Equals sign |
+ | %2B | Plus sign |
? | %3F | Question mark |
# | %23 | Hash / Fragment |
/ | %2F | Slash (component mode) |