What is URL encoding?

URL encoding (also called percent-encoding) replaces unsafe characters in a URL with a '%' followed by two hexadecimal digits. For example, spaces become %20, question marks become %3F, and ampersands become %26. This ensures URLs can be transmitted reliably over the internet without ambiguity.

What is the difference between encodeURIComponent and encodeURI?

encodeURIComponent encodes ALL special characters including those with meaning in URLs (like /, ?, &, =). Use it for encoding individual query parameter values. encodeURI preserves URL structure characters (/, ?, &, :, etc.) and only encodes characters that are truly unsafe. Use it for encoding entire URLs while keeping them functional.

How do I decode a URL-encoded string?

Paste your percent-encoded string into the input box and switch to Decode mode. The tool uses JavaScript's decodeURIComponent function to convert percent-encoded characters back to their original form. If the encoding is malformed (e.g., %ZZ is not valid hex), the tool shows an error with the position of the problem.

Can this tool handle non-Latin characters like Chinese or emoji?

Yes. URL encoding works by first converting characters to UTF-8 bytes, then encoding each byte as %XX. This means characters like 你好 become %E4%BD%A0%E5%A5%BD and emoji like 🎉 become %F0%9F%8E%89. This tool handles all Unicode characters correctly.

Free Online URL Encoder & Decoder

Text to Encode 0 chars

URL Encoder & Decoder — Free Online Tool
This tool encodes text for safe use in URLs (percent-encoding) and decodes URL-encoded strings back to plain text. In Encode mode, it shows both encodeURIComponent (for query parameters) and encodeURI (for full URLs) results. Supports all Unicode characters including Chinese and emoji. All processing happens in your browser — your data never leaves your device. Enable JavaScript to use the interactive tool.

Encoded Output

How to Use This URL Encoder

Choose Encode or Decode — Use the tabs above to switch modes. The tool auto-detects: if your input contains percent-encoded patterns (%XX), it switches to Decode.
Enter your text — Encode mode: type or paste a URL or text with special characters. Decode mode: paste a percent-encoded string.
Review both encoding results — In Encode mode, get two outputs: encodeURIComponent (encodes everything, ideal for query parameter values) and encodeURI (preserves URL structure characters like /, ?, &).
Copy or Swap — Click the Copy button on any result, or Swap to flip the input with the encodeURIComponent output for round-trip testing.

Tip: Use Ctrl + Enter to trigger encode/decode.

Why Use This URL Encoder?

Two encoding modes in one

Unlike most URL encoders that only show a single result, this tool shows both encodeURIComponent and encodeURI side by side. Use encodeURIComponent when building query string parameters, and encodeURI when encoding a full URL without breaking its structure.

Complete privacy

All encoding and decoding happens in your browser. Your URLs and data never leave your device — no server uploads, no logs, no tracking. Safe for encoding sensitive API endpoints, tokens, or proprietary URLs.

Helpful error messages

If you paste a malformed percent-encoded string (e.g., %ZZ or trailing %), the tool shows exactly where the problem is, so you can fix it quickly. No cryptic "URI malformed" messages.

Full Unicode support

Non-Latin characters like Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and emoji are correctly encoded as UTF-8 byte sequences. For example, 你好 becomes %E4%BD%A0%E5%A5%BD.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I use encodeURIComponent vs encodeURI?

Use encodeURIComponent for individual query parameter values — it encodes every special character including &, =, and ? that would break the URL structure. Use encodeURI for encoding an entire URL while preserving the URL syntax characters. For example, encoding the value of a q parameter in ?q=hello world should use encodeURIComponent to get ?q=hello%20world.

What does percent-encoding mean?

Percent-encoding (also called URL encoding) replaces unsafe or special characters with % followed by the character's hexadecimal byte value. For example, a space becomes %20. This ensures all characters in a URL are from the safe ASCII subset that can be transmitted reliably over the internet.

Can I decode a URL that was encoded by a different tool?

Yes. URL encoding is a standard (RFC 3986), so any properly encoded URL can be decoded by this tool. The decoder handles both %20 and + for spaces (since + is commonly used in query strings for spaces).

Why do some URLs use %20 and others use + for spaces?

In the query string part of a URL (after ?), spaces are often encoded as + due to the application/x-www-form-urlencoded MIME type used by HTML forms. In the path part of a URL, spaces must be encoded as %20. This tool's decode mode converts both %20 and + to spaces.

Is this tool free to use?

Yes, completely free. No signup, no download, no limits on usage.

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