URL Encoder & Decoder
Encode text or URLs using percent-encoding (also called URL encoding) to make them safe for use in query strings, form data, and HTTP requests. Or decode a percent-encoded URL back to its original readable form. All processing is instant and happens entirely in your browser.
URL Encoding Modes Explained
Encode URL (encodeURIComponent)
Encodes all special characters except A–Z a–z 0–9 - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ). Use this for encoding individual query parameter values.
Decode URL (decodeURIComponent)
Converts percent-encoded sequences like %20 back to their original characters. Use this to read encoded URLs.
Encode Full URL (encodeURI)
Encodes a complete URL but preserves characters that have special meaning in URLs like : / ? # [ ] @ ! $ & ' ( ) * + , ; =
When to Use Which
Use encodeURIComponent for query values. Use encodeURI for full URLs. Use decode to read any encoded URL.
Common Percent-Encoded Characters
| Character | Encoded | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Space | %20 | Most common encoding needed |
| & | %26 | Separates query parameters |
| = | %3D | Assigns query parameter values |
| + | %2B | Plus sign in query strings |
| / | %2F | Path separator |
| ? | %3F | Starts query string |
| # | %23 | Fragment identifier |
| @ | %40 | Used in email and auth URLs |
Why URL Encoding Matters
- URLs can only contain a limited set of ASCII characters
- Special characters in query strings break URL parsing if not encoded
- Spaces in URLs cause broken links and 400 errors
- API keys, tokens, and JSON values in query strings must be encoded
- Form submissions use URL encoding (
application/x-www-form-urlencoded)
Use the Base64 tab on the main JSON tool for Base64 encode/decode.