What is URL Encoding?
URL encoding (or percent-encoding) is a mechanism for encoding information in a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). The Internet only allows URLs to be sent over using the ASCII character-set. Since URLs often contain characters outside the ASCII set (like spaces, emojis, or symbols like ? and &), these unsafe characters must be converted into a valid format. URL encoding replaces unsafe characters with a "%" followed by two hexadecimal digits. Our free online tool allows you to safely encode strings so they can be securely placed in a URL, or decode them back to their original readable state.
How to encode and decode URLs online
To use this developer utility, simply choose your desired operation. Select 'Encode URL' if you want to convert plain text or query parameters into a URL-safe string. Select 'Decode URL' if you have an unreadable, percent-encoded URL that you want to convert back into plain text. Paste your input into the large text area, and the conversion happens instantly in real-time. Finally, click the 'Copy Result' button to save the output. It is completely free and requires no account.
100% Secure and Private Processing
Many online formatting tools send your text to a backend server for processing, which is a major security risk if you are dealing with sensitive query parameters, API endpoints, or auth tokens. Our URL Encoder uses native browser APIs (`encodeURIComponent` and `decodeURIComponent`) to process your data 100% locally on your device. Your information never leaves your computer, ensuring absolute privacy and instantaneous execution speed.