Free URL Encoder & Decoder
Percent-encode or decode URLs. Choose component-safe (encodeURIComponent) or full-URI mode. Parse query strings into a readable table. Free, instant, no sign-up.
Output will appear hereFrequently asked questions
When do I need to URL-encode a string?
Whenever you put text containing spaces, &, =, ?, /, #, or non-ASCII characters into a URL — typically query parameters and form values. Without encoding, the URL would be ambiguous or invalid.
What's the difference between component and full-URI encoding?
encodeURIComponent encodes everything that isn't a basic letter, digit, or a handful of marks — safe for query parameters and path segments. encodeURI preserves URL structure characters like /, ?, # — used when encoding a whole URL.
Is URL encoding the same as Base64?
No. URL encoding replaces individual unsafe characters with %XX hex sequences. Base64 encodes arbitrary binary data into ASCII text. They solve different problems.
Can I decode a malformed encoded URL?
Some browsers and tools are tolerant of malformed URLs, but the JavaScript spec throws an error on invalid percent sequences. The tool will show a clear error message if your input is malformed.
URL-encode and decode strings or full URLs — handles UTF-8 correctly. Component vs full-URL modes.
How to use
- 1Pick Encode or Decode.
- 2Paste your URL or string.
- 3Pick component-encode (escapes more chars) or full-URL encode.
- 4Copy the result.
Why use this tool
- UTF-8 safe — works with non-ASCII characters.
- Two modes — component (strict) and full URL (preserves reserved chars).
- Browser-only — works offline.
Real-world examples
Query parameter
Encode 'hello world & cats' → 'hello%20world%20%26%20cats' for safe use in ?q= parameters.
URL with special chars
Paste 'https://site.com/path with spaces' → properly URL-encoded version ready to use in fetch calls.