NextTool

URL Encoder / Decoder

How to use

Encodes special characters in text so they are safe to use inside a URL, or decodes an already-encoded string back to plain text. Switch between encoding a single URL component (like a query value) or a whole URL, paste your text, and copy the result.

Developer PopularLocal only
encodeURIComponent / decodeURIComponent
Input
Encoded
https%3A%2F%2Fexample.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dhello%20world%26lang%3Den
Decoded
https://example.com/search?q=hello world&lang=en
When to use this
  • Building a query string value that contains spaces, ampersands or other special characters
  • Debugging why a shared link with symbols or accented characters is breaking when clicked
  • Decoding a percent-encoded parameter found in server logs or browser dev tools
  • Encoding user input safely before appending it to a URL in application code

Free and private. Everything runs on your own device, with no account and no uploads.

Building a query string with special characters, or debugging why a link with spaces and symbols is breaking, requires proper URL encoding. This tool encodes special characters in text so they are safe to embed inside a URL, or decodes an already-encoded string back to plain text, with a toggle between encoding a single URI component and encoding a full URL.

Component encoding (encodeURIComponent) escapes nearly every special character including "/" and "&", suitable for a single query value, while full URL encoding (encodeURI) leaves characters like "/" and ":" untouched since they are structurally part of a valid URL.

Yes, if the input contains an invalid percent-encoding sequence, decoding will report an error rather than silently guessing at the intended value.

Yes, Unicode characters are encoded into their correct percent-encoded UTF-8 byte sequences and can be decoded back correctly.

No, they are different schemes for different purposes, URL encoding escapes characters for safe use in a URL, while Base64 encodes binary data as ASCII text; use the dedicated Base64 tool for that.

How it works
  1. 1

    Paste your text or URL

    Enter the value you want to encode or decode.

  2. 2

    Choose component or full URL mode

    Select whether to encode just a query value or an entire URL.

  3. 3

    Pick Encode or Decode

    Choose the direction of the conversion.

  4. 4

    Copy the result

    Copy the encoded or decoded value for your link or code.

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Pro tips
  • ·Use component encoding (encodeURIComponent) for a single query value, and full URL encoding (encodeURI) when the input is already a whole URL.
  • ·A decode error usually means the input has an invalid percent-encoding sequence, check for stray "%" characters not followed by two hex digits.
  • ·Do not confuse this with Base64, URL encoding escapes characters for safe URL use, while Base64 encodes binary data as text.