Digital & Text Tools

How to Use the URL Encoder & Decoder

Switch to Encode and type any text to see its percent-encoded form (spaces, symbols, and special characters converted to %-prefixed codes), or switch to Decode and paste percent-encoded text to convert it back to readable text — both directions update instantly using the same encoding functions built into every browser.

This tool is most useful for preparing an individual value — not an entire finished URL — for safe inclusion in a link.

Encoding a value before inserting it into a URL

As covered in the encodeURIComponent-vs-encodeURI guide, encode the specific value (a search term, a parameter) on its own, then combine the encoded result with the rest of your URL structure — rather than encoding the entire finished URL at once, which would incorrectly encode its structural characters too.

Decoding a URL you've received

As covered in the space-in-a-URL guide, decoding a percent-encoded URL or parameter converts codes like %20 back into readable characters (a space, in that example), which is useful for understanding exactly what a long, encoded URL or query string actually contains.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my decoded result still show a + instead of a space?

As covered in the percent-encoding guide, + is a legacy convention specific to encoding a space within a query string, separate from standard percent-encoding — depending on context, a literal + sign might need to be decoded differently than a %2B (an actual, literal plus character).

Is it safe to encode an entire sentence or paragraph of text?

Yes — there's no length limit built into the encoding process itself, though a very long encoded string does become a correspondingly long, harder-to-read block of percent-codes.