What is URL encoding and why is it needed?

URL encoding (also called percent-encoding) converts special characters into a format that can be safely transmitted over the internet. URLs can only contain certain characters from the ASCII set, so characters like spaces, &, ?, =, and non-ASCII characters must be encoded. For example, a space becomes %20.

Is my data safe when using this URL encoder?

Yes, absolutely! All encoding and decoding happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your URLs and data never leave your computer or get sent to any server. This ensures complete privacy and security for sensitive URLs.

What's the difference between URL encoding and URI encoding?

URL encoding and URI encoding are essentially the same thing. URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) is the broader term that includes URLs. The encoding process uses the same percent-encoding scheme for both, converting special characters to %XX format.

Can I encode international characters and emojis?

Yes! Our tool supports full UTF-8 encoding, which means you can encode any international characters (Chinese, Arabic, Cyrillic, etc.) and even emojis. They will be converted to their percent-encoded UTF-8 representation.

When should I use URL encoding?

Use URL encoding when building query parameters, passing data in URLs, creating API endpoints with special characters, handling user input in URLs, or working with international characters in web addresses. It ensures your URLs are valid and work correctly across all browsers and systems.

Does this work offline?

Yes! Once you've loaded the page, the URL encoder/decoder works completely offline. You can bookmark this page and use it anytime without an internet connection, making it perfect for development environments or restricted networks.

URL Tools

URL Encoder / Decoder

Encode or decode percent‑encoded URLs. Runs 100% on your device.

Input

Paste a URL or any string.

Output

Encoded or decoded result.

How to Use URL Encoder/Decoder

Encode and decode URLs with percent-encoding in three simple steps

1
Choose Encode or Decode
Select whether you want to encode a plain URL/text to percent-encoded format or decode a percent-encoded URL back to readable text.
2
Enter Your URL or Text
Paste your URL, query string, or text into the input field. For encoding, enter any text with special characters. For decoding, paste the percent-encoded string (with %XX codes).
3
Get Instant Results
The conversion happens instantly. Copy the encoded/decoded result and use it in your URLs, API calls, or wherever you need properly formatted URL strings.

Common Use Cases

Query Parameters

Encode special characters in URL query parameters to ensure they're transmitted correctly in GET requests.

API Endpoints

Create valid API URLs with encoded parameters, especially when dealing with user-generated content or search queries.

Form Submissions

Encode form data before appending to URLs in GET requests to handle special characters and spaces correctly.

International URLs

Encode non-ASCII characters in URLs to make them compatible with all browsers and systems worldwide.

Debugging

Decode percent-encoded URLs from logs or network requests to understand what data is being transmitted.

Link Sharing

Encode URLs before sharing them to ensure special characters don't break the link when copied or shared.