URL Encoder / Decoder
Percent-encode text for safe use in URLs, or decode encoded strings back to readable text — Unicode safe.
Why do URLs need encoding?
URLs can only contain a limited set of ASCII characters. Spaces become %20, & becomes %26, and characters from other languages (中文, emoji, accented letters) are percent-encoded as UTF-8 bytes. Encoding matters most for query parameter values: a search term containing & would otherwise break the parameter structure of the URL it is placed in.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the two encode modes?
Component mode escapes everything with special meaning — right for a single value like a search term or a nested URL. Full URL mode preserves the structural characters (://, ?, &, =) so a whole address stays a working address.
Why does + sometimes mean space?
In the legacy application/x-www-form-urlencoded format (HTML form GET submissions), spaces are encoded as +. Modern percent-encoding uses %20. This tool uses %20; when decoding, both are handled.