URL Encoder & Decoder Online — Free, Instant, Private
Paste a URL or any string into the input box, then click Encode to convert special characters to percent-encoding (%20, %2F, etc.) or Decode to reverse the process. Everything happens locally — no data is ever sent to a server.
How it works
- 1 Paste the text you want to encode or decode Click the input area and paste a raw URL, a query string value, or any text containing special characters. The tool works with any UTF-8 text.
- 2 Click Encode or Decode Hit Encode to convert characters like spaces, slashes, and ampersands to their percent-encoded equivalents. Hit Decode to convert percent-encoded strings back to readable text.
- 3 Copy the result or swap the fields Use the Swap button to move the output back to the input for chaining operations, or simply copy the result from the output area.
Your data stays private
All processing happens entirely in your browser. No files, text, or data are ever sent to our servers. You can disconnect from the internet and this tool will still work.
Frequently asked questions
- What is URL encoding?
- URL encoding (also called percent-encoding) converts characters that are not allowed in URLs into a safe format. For example, a space becomes %20, and a forward slash becomes %2F. It's required for query string values and path segments that contain special characters.
- When should I encode a URL?
- Encode any string before embedding it as a query parameter value. For example, if a search term contains an ampersand or equals sign, encoding it prevents those characters from being interpreted as URL syntax.
- What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?
- encodeURI encodes a full URL and preserves characters like /, ?, #, and &. encodeURIComponent (which this tool uses) encodes a component of a URL — a single value — and also encodes those characters, making it safe for query parameter values.
- Is my data private?
- Yes. Encoding and decoding happen entirely in your browser using the JavaScript encodeURIComponent / decodeURIComponent APIs. No data is sent to any server.
- Can it handle Unicode / emoji characters?
- Yes. The tool supports full UTF-8 encoding, including emoji, CJK characters, Cyrillic, Arabic, and any other Unicode text.
- Is it free?
- Yes — no signup, no limits, no ads inside the tool, free forever.