How to use the url encoder and decoder
- 1Choose Encode value for a single parameter, Encode full URL for a whole link, or Decode.
- 2Paste your text or URL.
- 3Copy the result.
- 4If you pasted a full URL, check the breakdown of its host, path and query parameters.
Why URLs need encoding
URLs can only contain a limited set of characters. Spaces, accented letters and symbols such as & and ? must be written as a percent sign followed by a code. A space becomes %20, and é becomes %C3%A9.
Value or full URL?
- Encode value (like JavaScript's encodeURIComponent) encodes everything that has a special meaning in URLs, including & = ? and /. Use it for a single query value, such as a search term.
- Encode full URL (like encodeURI) leaves the structure of the link alone and only encodes characters that are never allowed. Use it to fix a whole link that contains spaces.
Encoding a whole URL as a value would break it, and encoding a value as a full URL can let an & split your parameter in two, so pick the mode that matches what you have.
Decoding
Decoding turns percent codes back into readable text. A + is treated as a space, as it is in HTML form submissions. If the text contains a broken sequence, such as a % not followed by two hex digits, the tool tells you.
Frequently asked questions
What does %20 mean?
%20 is the encoded form of a space. Every percent code is the byte value of a character in hexadecimal.
Should a space be %20 or +?
%20 works everywhere. A + only means a space in query strings from HTML forms. This decoder handles both.
Why did decoding fail?
A percent sign must be followed by two hexadecimal digits. Text like 100% or a cut-off sequence cannot be decoded.
Is my data sent anywhere?
No. Encoding and decoding run in your browser.
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