Web addresses can only contain a limited set of characters, so spaces, accents and symbols must be "percent-encoded" — a space becomes %20, and so on. The URL Encode / Decode tool converts text into URL-safe form and decodes it back, which is essential whenever you build query strings, debug links or work with web APIs.
How to use the URL Encode / Decode tool
- Paste your text or an encoded URL.
- Click Encode or Decode.
- Copy the result.
Why encoding matters for links
If you drop a raw space or an ampersand into a URL, it can break the link or change its meaning entirely — the ampersand, for instance, separates parameters. Percent-encoding escapes those characters so the address is interpreted exactly as you intend. Developers encode values they put into query strings; anyone sharing a link with special characters needs it; and decoding lets you read an ugly encoded URL back as plain text to understand what it actually contains.
Tips for correct encoding
- Encode each value separately when building a query string, not the whole URL at once.
- Decode to inspect a confusing link and reveal its real parameters.
- Watch for double-encoding, where %20 becomes %2520 — decode once per layer.
- Spaces become %20 (or sometimes +) in encoded form.
Everything is processed locally in your browser, so your links and data stay private.
Quick reference
| Direction | Example |
|---|---|
| Encode | a b → a%20b |
| Decode | a%20b → a b |
| Standard | encodeURIComponent |
| Use | Query params, links |
| Processing | Local |