URL Encoder & Decoder
Last Updated: June 18, 2026
Waiting for input
Type or paste text above to encode it to URL-safe format, or paste percent-encoded text to decode it.
Output
All URL encoding and decoding is performed directly in your browser. Your data never leaves your device.
Encode text to URL-safe format and decode percent-encoded URLs back to readable text. Supports UTF-8, Unicode, and SVG encoding.
How To Use
Follow these simple steps to get started with url encoder & decoder.
Enter your text
Type or paste the text you want to encode or decode into the input area.
Toggle live mode
Enable live mode for instant results as you type, or use Encode/Decode buttons for manual control.
Process instantly
Click Encode or Decode — the result appears immediately with character statistics.
Copy the result
Copy the encoded or decoded output to your clipboard with one click.
Real-World Examples
Practical situations where url encoder & decoder helps solve real problems.
Web Development
Encode query parameters, URL fragments, and form data safely for HTTP requests.
API Testing
Decode percent-encoded URL parameters from API callbacks, redirects, and tracking URLs.
SVG Embedding
Encode SVG markup for use in CSS background-image URLs and inline assets.
Why Use This Tool
Discover how this tool can improve your workflow and productivity.
Two-Way Conversion
Encode text to URL-safe format and decode percent-encoded strings back to readable text with complete accuracy.
Live Processing
Toggle live mode to see encoded or decoded results update in real time as you type, or use manual buttons.
Full UTF-8 Support
Handles all Unicode characters including Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, emoji, and international text correctly.
100% Browser Based
All encoding and decoding happens locally in your browser. Your data never leaves your device.
Common Use Cases
Practical scenarios where this tool can help you get things done.
Web Development
Encode query parameters, URL fragments, and form data safely for HTTP requests.
API Testing
Decode percent-encoded URL parameters from API callbacks, redirects, and tracking URLs.
SVG Embedding
Encode SVG markup for use in CSS background-image URLs and inline assets.
Tool Summary
Quick facts about this tool at a glance.
What Is URL Encoder & Decoder?
A URL encoder and decoder is a browser-based utility that converts plain text into URL-safe percent-encoded format and decodes percent-encoded strings back to their original form. It uses encodeURIComponent() and decodeURIComponent() for standards-compliant encoding with full UTF-8 and Unicode support.
About This Tool
URL encoding (also known as percent encoding) is a mechanism for encoding information in a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). When browsers submit form data, when APIs receive query parameters, or when special characters need to travel through URLs, URL encoding ensures the data remains intact and does not break the URL structure.
What This Tool Does
This URL Encoder & Decoder converts plain text into URL-safe percent-encoded format and decodes encoded strings back to readable text. It handles all special characters, Unicode text, emoji, and international character sets. The tool supports live mode for instant real-time conversion, SVG encoding mode for CSS background-image URLs, and detailed character statistics showing input/output length and encoded character count.
How It Works
The tool uses JavaScript's built-in encodeURIComponent() and decodeURIComponent() functions, which implement RFC 3986 standards. These functions convert each character into one, two, three, or four percent-encoded bytes depending on the character's UTF-8 encoding. ASCII letters and digits pass through unchanged. Special characters like spaces become %20. Unicode characters and emoji are encoded as multi-byte percent sequences. The SVG encoding mode wraps the encoded output in the data:image/svg+xml format for direct use in CSS.
Who Uses URL Encoding
Web developers use URL encoding daily to build safe query strings, encode form submissions, and construct valid URLs programmatically. API developers decode percent-encoded parameters from request URLs, webhook callbacks, and OAuth redirects. Front-end developers encode SVG markup for inline CSS background images and data URIs. SEO professionals decode tracking URLs and redirect chains to understand URL structure. Anyone working with web technologies encounters URL encoding and needs a reliable tool for quick conversion.
Key Features
- • Encode/Decode Toggle: Switch between encoding and decoding modes
- • Live Mode: Real-time conversion as you type
- • SVG Encoding: Specialized encoding for CSS background-image URLs
- • Character Statistics: Input/output character count and encoded chars count
- • Full UTF-8 Support: Handles Unicode, emoji, and international scripts
- • Copy to Clipboard: One-click copy of encoded or decoded output
- • Clear All: Reset input, output, and status with one click
- • Privacy: All processing happens locally with no data uploads
Quick Summary
This free URL Encoder & Decoder converts text to and from URL-safe percent-encoding entirely in your browser. Encode special characters, query parameters, and SVG markup for safe URL transmission. Decode percent-encoded URLs back to readable text. Features include live mode for instant results, SVG encoding mode, character statistics, and one-click copy. The tool handles all Unicode characters including emoji and international scripts using native encodeURIComponent()/decodeURIComponent(). No data is uploaded to any server.
Related Concepts
Explore related terms and topics associated with url encoder & decoder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about url encoder & decoder.
What does an URL encoder do?
A URL encoder converts special characters in text into percent-encoded format (% followed by two hexadecimal digits) that can be safely transmitted in URLs. For example, a space becomes %20, an ampersand (&) becomes %26, and an at sign (@) becomes %40. This ensures data survives transmission through web systems without corruption.
Is %20 URL encoding?
Yes. %20 is the URL-encoded representation of a space character. In URL encoding, ASCII character codes are converted to hexadecimal and prefixed with %. Since space has ASCII code 32 (hex 20), it becomes %20. This is the most commonly seen URL-encoded character.
What is 40 in URL encoding?
%40 is the URL-encoded representation of the @ symbol (at sign). The @ character has ASCII code 64, which is 40 in hexadecimal. So @ becomes %40 when URL-encoded. This is commonly seen in email addresses embedded in URLs, like mailto:user%40domain.com.
What does URL-encoded do?
URL encoding (also called percent encoding) converts characters that are not allowed in URLs into a safe format. It replaces unsafe characters with a % followed by their two-digit hexadecimal ASCII value. This allows spaces, special characters, and non-ASCII characters to be transmitted in URLs, query strings, and form data without breaking the URL structure.
Is URL encoding safe?
Yes. URL encoding is a safe and standardized method for transmitting data in URLs. It is defined in RFC 3986 and is universally supported by all web browsers, servers, and programming languages. However, URL encoding is not encryption — it only makes data URL-safe, not secure. For sensitive data, use HTTPS and proper encryption.
What are the 4 types of encoding?
The four common encoding types are URL encoding (percent-encoding for web addresses), Base64 encoding (binary-to-text for data transmission), ASCII encoding (7-bit character representation), and Unicode encoding (UTF-8, UTF-16 for international text). URL encoding is specifically designed for making data safe to include in URLs and query strings.
What are the rules for URL encoding?
URL encoding follows these rules: unreserved characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, -, ., _, ~) are never encoded. Reserved characters with special meaning in URLs (&, ?, #, /, :, ;, =, @, $, ,, +, %, !, ', (, ), *) are encoded only when used as data. All other characters including spaces, quotes, angle brackets, and non-ASCII characters must be encoded. The encoded format is % followed by two hex digits.
What is an encoder used for?
An encoder converts data from one format to another for safe transmission or storage. A URL encoder specifically converts special characters into percent-encoded format so they can be safely included in URLs. Encoding ensures data integrity during transmission and prevents syntax errors caused by characters with special meaning in URLs.
What is %24 in a URL?
%24 is the URL-encoded representation of the dollar sign ($). The $ character has ASCII code 36, which is 24 in hexadecimal. So $ becomes %24 when URL-encoded. The $ is a reserved character in URL syntax and must be encoded when used as data rather than as a delimiter.
Related Tools
Explore more tools that complement this utility.
Base64 Encoder & Decoder
Encode text, files, and images to Base64 format. Decode Base64 back to original content. Browser-based with image preview and file upload support.
JSON Formatter
Format, beautify, minify, and validate JSON data instantly with syntax highlighting, error detection, and tree view.
JWT Decoder & Local Verifier
Decode and inspect JSON Web Tokens (JWT) entirely in your browser. Verify signatures locally with HS256/384/512, RS256/384/512, or ES256/384/512. Analyze claims, validate expiration times, check for security risks, and simulate clock skew with 100% offline, zero-knowledge privacy.
People Also Searched For
Explore related tools commonly used alongside this utility.
Markdown Checkbox List Extractor
Extract checked, unchecked, or all tasks from Markdown documents. Supports Obsidian, Notion, GitHub, GitLab, Logseq exports, and more. Fast regex-based parsing, Web Worker offloading, 100% browser-based — no uploads, complete privacy.
Domain Name Extractor & Comparator
Extract root domains from URLs and compare two lists instantly in your browser. Parse millions of URLs, normalize domains, strip subdomains, find shared and unique domains — all locally with no uploads.
Random List Generator & Shuffler
Randomly shuffle any list with cryptographically secure Fisher-Yates shuffle using Web Crypto API. Fair prize draws, unbiased randomization, and bulk list shuffling — all in your browser with zero uploads.
Text Case Converter
Convert text to uppercase, lowercase, sentence case, title case, camelCase, snake_case, PascalCase, kebab-case, and more instantly.
Simple List A/B Comparator
Compare two lists instantly in your browser. Find shared items, unique items, differences, and duplicates across lists — all locally with no data uploads.
Reviewed by FreeDeskTools Editorial Team
URL Encoder & Decoder has been reviewed for accuracy, usability, privacy, and browser-side performance. FreeDeskTools tools are designed to run locally whenever possible, helping users complete tasks quickly without unnecessary data collection.
Was this tool helpful?
Your feedback helps us improve URL Encoder & Decoder and build better tools for everyone.