URL Encode / Decode
How to Encode a URL
URL encoding (percent-encoding) replaces unsafe characters — spaces, &, ?, # and others — with %XX codes so a link or query string isn't broken. Paste your text below to encode or decode it instantly.
Encode or decode a URL
Steps to URL encode text
- Paste your text or URL into the box above.
- Choose Encode to turn unsafe characters into %XX codes.
- Copy the encoded result into your link, API call or query string.
- To reverse it, paste the encoded text and choose Decode.
When you need URL encoding
Any time a value goes into a URL — a search term, a redirect target, an email address in a query string — it must be encoded so characters like spaces (%20) and ampersands (%26) don't break the address or get misread by the server.
It runs entirely in your browser, so you can safely encode tokens or parameters without sending them anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between encoding and decoding a URL?
Encoding converts characters into percent-codes so they're safe in a URL; decoding turns those codes back into the original readable text. The tool above does both.
Why does a space become %20 or a plus sign?
In a URL path a space is encoded as %20. In a query string some systems use + instead. The encoder uses the standard percent form, which is accepted everywhere.