URL Encoder / Decoder
Free URL encoder and decoder — percent-encode text for query strings or decode encoded URLs instantly in your browser.
Component vs full-URL encoding
Component mode (encodeURIComponent) encodes every reserved character — use it for individual query-string values. Untick it to use encodeURI, which keeps a URL's structure (:/?&=#) intact — use that for encoding a whole URL.
Frequently asked questions
What is percent-encoding?
URLs only allow a limited character set, so everything else is written as % followed by the byte's hex value — a space becomes %20, & becomes %26, and multi-byte UTF-8 characters become several %XX groups.
When should I use component mode?
Use component mode (encodeURIComponent) for individual values going into a query string — it encodes /, ?, & and = too. Untick it (encodeURI) only when encoding a complete URL whose structure must stay intact.
Why do some sites show + instead of %20 for spaces?
The + convention comes from the older application/x-www-form-urlencoded format used by HTML forms. Modern percent-encoding uses %20; both decode to a space in query strings.
Is my text uploaded?
No — encoding and decoding run entirely in your browser.