URL Encoder/Decoder: Encode and Decode Links Safely
Web addresses can only contain a limited set of characters. A URL Encoder/Decoder converts spaces, symbols and non-English letters into a safe format, and turns encoded links back into readable text.
What is URL encoding?
URL encoding, also called percent encoding, replaces unsafe characters with a percent sign and two digits. A space becomes %20, and an ampersand becomes %26. This stops browsers and servers from confusing your data with the structure of the link.
Why does it matter?
- Working links: spaces and symbols can break a link or send visitors to the wrong page.
- Search queries: text typed into a search box must be encoded before it joins the link.
- Other languages: Arabic, accented letters and emoji are converted into safe codes.
- Tracking links: campaign links often contain values that need encoding.
How to use the tool
- Choose Encode or Decode.
- Paste your text or link. The result appears instantly.
- Press Copy, or use Use result as input to switch direction and check your work.
Which encoding type should you choose?
- Everything: best for a single value, such as a search term, that goes inside a link. It also encodes / ? & and =.
- Keep URL structure: best for a complete link. It leaves the structure alone and encodes only spaces and unsafe characters.
- Form style: turns spaces into + as web forms do.
When decoding, switch on Treat + as a space for text that came from a form.
Understand any link
When you paste a full link, the tool also shows a breakdown with the protocol, host, port, path, fragment and every query parameter in readable form. This makes long tracking links easy to read.
Common mistakes
- Encoding a whole link with the "Everything" type, which breaks the :// and / characters.
- Encoding the same text twice, which turns %20 into %2520.
- Forgetting that + and %20 can both mean a space, depending on where the text came from.
Free and private
Everything runs in your browser. Your links are never uploaded or stored, and there is no sign up or login.
Frequently asked questions
Why does decoding show an error? The text has a broken % sequence, such as a % that is not followed by two valid digits.
Does it handle Arabic? Yes. Unicode text is encoded and decoded correctly.