URLs can only contain a limited set of characters. Special characters like spaces, ampersands, and non-ASCII letters must be converted to a safe format using percent-encoding (also called URL encoding). Our free online URL encoder and decoder handles this instantly. Encoding converts characters to their %XX hex equivalents (e.g., a space becomes %20). Decoding reverses the process, turning an encoded URL back into human-readable form. This is essential for building query strings, working with REST APIs, processing form submissions, and debugging web traffic in tools like Postman or browser DevTools.
How to URL Encode or Decode
- Paste your URL or text into the input area.
- Click Encode → to convert special characters to their percent-encoded equivalents.
- Click ← Decode to convert a percent-encoded string back to readable text.
- Click Copy Result to copy the output.
Common Characters and Their Encoded Forms
- Space →
%20 &→%26=→%3D+→%2B/→%2F?→%3F#→%23
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between URL encoding and HTML encoding?
URL encoding (percent-encoding) is used in URLs and query strings. HTML encoding converts characters like < and & to HTML entities like < and &. They serve different purposes and should not be confused.
Why does a space sometimes become + and sometimes %20?
In HTML form data (application/x-www-form-urlencoded), spaces are encoded as +. In a URL path or RFC 3986 percent-encoding, spaces are encoded as %20. Our tool uses encodeURIComponent(), which produces %20.