URL Encoder & Decoder Tool

Easily encode text for safe URL transmission or decode URL-encoded strings back to readable text. URL encoding (percent encoding) ensures special characters are properly handled in web URLs, form submissions, and API requests.

Operation Mode

Encoding Options

Standard mode only encodes necessary characters for URLs

Input Text

Enter text to encode for URL
0 characters

URL Encoded Result

URL encoded result

Statistics

0
Input Length
0
Output Length
0
Encoded Chars
+0%
Size Change

Quick Examples

About URL Encoding

URL encoding converts characters into a format that can be safely transmitted in URLs and form data.

Common Uses:
  • • URL parameters
  • • Form data submission
  • • Search queries
  • • API requests
Examples:
  • • Space → %20
  • • @ → %40
  • • # → %23
  • • % → %25

What is URL Encoding?

URL encoding (also called percent encoding) is a mechanism for encoding information in URLs where certain characters have special meanings or are not allowed. It converts characters into a format that can be safely transmitted over the internet.

Key characteristics of URL encoding:

  • Percent notation: Uses % followed by hex codes
  • Safe characters: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, -, ., _, ~
  • Reserved characters: Have special meaning in URLs
  • Universal compatibility: Works across all web systems

Example: "Hello World!" becomes "Hello%20World%21"

URL encoding example showing text to percent-encoded conversion
URL encoding process visualization

Features of Our URL Encoder Tool:

  • Real-time conversion - Instant encoding/decoding as you type
  • Flexible encoding modes - Standard or comprehensive character encoding
  • Form data support - Handles + to space conversion for form submissions
  • Unicode compatibility - Properly encodes international characters
  • Error detection - Identifies invalid URL-encoded strings
  • Statistics display - Shows encoding metrics and character counts
  • Safe processing - All operations performed in your browser
  • Copy functionality - Easy copying of encoded/decoded results

How to Use the URL Encoder Tool

1. Choose Operation Mode

Select "Encode for URL" to convert plain text to URL-safe format, or "Decode from URL" to convert URL-encoded text back to readable format.

2. Set Encoding Options

For encoding, choose between standard encoding (only necessary characters) or comprehensive encoding (all special characters) based on your needs.

3. Enter Your Data

Type or paste your text in the input field. The conversion happens automatically in real-time.

4. Copy Results

Use the copy button to copy the converted text to your clipboard for use in URLs, forms, or API requests.

URL Encoding Examples

Original Text URL Encoded Use Case
Hello World! Hello%20World%21 Search query
[email protected] user%40example.com Email parameter
50% discount 50%25%20discount Promotional text
C++ programming C%2B%2B%20programming Technical term

Common Uses for URL Encoding

URL encoding is essential in various web development scenarios:

  • Query parameters - Encoding values in URL query strings
  • Form submissions - HTML form data transmission
  • API requests - Sending parameters to REST APIs
  • Search engines - Search query parameters
  • Social media - Sharing URLs with special characters
  • Email links - mailto: URLs with subjects/bodies
  • JavaScript - AJAX requests with dynamic data
  • Database queries - URL-based database filters

Character Encoding Reference

Common characters and their URL-encoded equivalents:

Reserved Characters

Space%20
!%21
"%22
#%23
$%24
%%25
&%26
'%27

More Special Characters

(%28
)%29
*%2A
+%2B
,%2C
/%2F
:%3A
;%3B

Standard vs. Comprehensive Encoding

Standard Encoding

Encodes only characters that are not safe for URLs according to RFC standards.

Input:
Hello World! @user
Output:
Hello%20World!%20%40user

Comprehensive Encoding

Encodes all non-alphanumeric characters for maximum compatibility.

Input:
Hello World! @user
Output:
Hello%20World%21%20%40user

Related Encoding Tools

Explore these related encoding and decoding tools:

Base64 Encoder/Decoder

Encode and decode text using Base64 encoding for data transmission and storage.

Try our Base64 Encoder tool →

HTML Entity Encoder

Convert special characters to HTML entities for safe display in web pages.

Try our HTML Encoder tool →

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I use URL encoding?

Use URL encoding whenever you need to include special characters, spaces, or non-ASCII characters in URLs, query parameters, or form data submissions.

What's the difference between + and %20 for spaces?

Both represent spaces, but %20 is the standard URL encoding while + is commonly used in form data (application/x-www-form-urlencoded). Our tool handles both formats.

Can I encode entire URLs?

You should only encode the parameter values, not the entire URL structure. Encoding protocol, domain, or path separators will break the URL.

Does URL encoding support Unicode characters?

Yes, our tool properly handles Unicode characters by first converting them to UTF-8 bytes, then applying percent encoding to each byte.

Why do I get an error when decoding?

Decoding errors occur when the input contains invalid percent encoding (like %GG) or incomplete sequences. Check your input format.

Technical Implementation

Our URL encoder uses JavaScript's built-in encoding functions with enhanced Unicode support:

// URL Encoding Implementation
function urlEncode(text, encodeAll) {
if (encodeAll) {
return text.split('').map(char => {
return /[A-Za-z0-9]/.test(char) ? char : encodeURIComponent(char);
}).join('');
}
return encodeURIComponent(text);
}

This approach ensures:

  • Proper UTF-8 character encoding
  • Standards-compliant percent encoding
  • Flexible encoding modes for different use cases
  • Cross-browser compatibility