URL Encoder/Decoder

Encode or decode URLs for safe transmission in web addresses, APIs, and query parameters. Convert special characters to percent-encoded format (URL encoding) or decode them back to readable text. RFC 3986 compliant.

Enter text to encode:

Encoded URL:

Enter URL-encoded text to decode:

Decoded URL:

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What is URL Encoding?

URL encoding (also called percent-encoding) is a mechanism for encoding information in a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). It replaces unsafe ASCII characters with a "%" followed by two hexadecimal digits representing the character's ASCII code.

Why URL Encoding is Necessary

URLs can only be sent over the Internet using the ASCII character set. Special characters and non-ASCII characters must be encoded to be transmitted safely:

Spaces are encoded as %20 or +
Special characters like @#$%& have special meanings in URLs
Non-ASCII characters (accents, emojis, etc.) must be encoded
Reserved characters like ?&=/ need encoding in certain contexts

Common Use Cases

Query Parameters: Encode values in GET requests
API Calls: Safely pass parameters to REST APIs
Form Data: Submit form data with special characters
OAuth & Authentication: Encode tokens and redirect URLs
Email Links: Create mailto: links with subject/body

Examples

Original: Hello World!
Encoded: Hello%20World%21

Original: [email protected]
Encoded: user%40example.com

Original: search query: "cats & dogs"
Encoded: search%20query%3A%20%22cats%20%26%20dogs%22

Characters Commonly Encoded

Space → %20 or +
! → %21
# → %23
$ → %24
% → %25
& → %26
@ → %40
= → %3D

Features

RFC 3986 compliant encoding/decoding
Real-time conversion as you type
Handles all special characters
One-click copy to clipboard
No data sent to server - all processed locally