URL Encoder & Decoder
Turn special characters into safe %-codes — or decode them back to plain text — instantly.
How it works
A URL can only contain a limited set of characters. Spaces, accents, ampersands and other symbols have to be “percent-encoded” so links and query strings stay valid.
Pick a mode
Choose Encode to make text URL-safe, or Decode to turn %-codes back into readable text.
Type or paste
Your result updates live as you type — no button to press. A space becomes %20, an ampersand becomes %26.
Copy it
Hit Copy to grab the result and drop it straight into your link, code or address bar.
What exactly is percent-encoding?
Every character that isn’t allowed in a URL is replaced by a % followed by its byte value in hexadecimal. This tool uses the browser’s built-in encodeURIComponent and decodeURIComponent — the same functions your favorite websites use — so results are standards-compliant and handle Unicode (like emoji and accented letters) correctly.
Which should I use, encode or decode?
Use encode when you’re building a link or query parameter from raw text. Use decode when you’ve got a messy string full of %20 and %3D and want to read what it actually says.
Private by design. Everything happens right here in your browser. Nothing you type is ever uploaded — we never see it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is URL (percent) encoding? ▼
% followed by a code. For example a space becomes %20 and an ampersand becomes %26.Should I use encode or decode? ▼
%20 and %3D that you want to read as normal text.Does it handle accented letters and emoji? ▼
Does it encode every character, including slashes? ▼
/, ? and & are also escaped. That's ideal for a single query parameter; if you paste a whole URL it will escape those separators too.Why do I get an error when decoding? ▼
% or an incomplete %-code. Check the text for a percent sign that isn't followed by two valid characters.