URL Encoder/Decoder

Encode and decode URLs and URI components instantly

Supports encodeURI, decodeURI, encodeURIComponent, decodeURIComponent

0 characters

Output will appear here automatically

Quick Tips

  • Use Encode URI for full URLs to preserve protocol and path separators
  • Use Encode Component for query parameter values to encode all special chars
  • The Swap button switches input/output and toggles encode/decode mode
  • All processing happens locally in your browser

What is a URL Encoder/Decoder?

A URL Encoder/Decoder is a developer tool that converts text to and from URL-safe format. URL encoding (percent-encoding) replaces unsafe ASCII characters with a '%' followed by two hexadecimal digits. This is essential for transmitting special characters in URLs, as URLs can only contain a limited set of characters. Our tool supports both full URI encoding/decoding (for complete URLs) and component encoding/decoding (for query parameters and individual segments).

How to Use the URL Encoder/Decoder

1

Select the conversion mode

Choose 'Encode URI' for full URLs (preserves :/?#[]@), 'Decode URI' to decode a full URL, 'Encode Component' for query parameter values (encodes all special chars), or 'Decode Component' to decode a URI component.

2

Enter your text

Type or paste the URL or text you want to convert. The conversion happens automatically as you type with a small debounce for performance.

3

View the result

The encoded or decoded output appears instantly in the output field. If there's an error (like malformed input for decoding), an error message will be displayed.

4

Copy or swap

Click 'Copy Output' to copy the result to your clipboard, or use 'Swap' to switch the input and output and toggle between encode/decode modes.

Why Use Our URL Encoder/Decoder?

Complete privacy

All URL encoding and decoding happens locally in your browser using native JavaScript functions. Your URLs and data never leave your device, ensuring maximum privacy and security.

Multiple encoding modes

Support for both encodeURI/decodeURI (full URLs) and encodeURIComponent/decodeURIComponent (URI components) covers all URL encoding use cases.

Real-time conversion

See encoded/decoded results update in real-time as you type. The debounced input ensures smooth performance.

Error handling

Clear error messages when decoding malformed URLs help you identify and fix issues quickly.

Convenient swap feature

The Swap button instantly reverses the operation, switching input with output and toggling between encode and decode modes.

Frequently Asked Questions

URL encoding (also called percent-encoding) converts characters into a format that can be transmitted over the internet. URLs can only contain ASCII characters, so special characters like spaces, accents, and symbols must be encoded as %XX where XX is the hexadecimal ASCII value. This ensures URLs work correctly across different systems and browsers.
encodeURI() is designed to encode a full URL and preserves reserved characters like :, /, ?, #, &, = that have special meaning in URLs. encodeURIComponent() is meant for encoding individual URI components (like query parameter values) and encodes ALL special characters. Use encodeURI for full URLs and encodeURIComponent for query string values.
Use URL encoding when you need to include special characters in a URL, such as spaces in query parameters, user-generated content in URLs, or when passing data via URL parameters. For example, encoding a search query 'hello world' becomes 'hello%20world'. It's essential for building safe and valid URLs in web applications.
Absolutely! All URL encoding and decoding happens locally in your browser using JavaScript's native encodeURI, decodeURI, encodeURIComponent, and decodeURIComponent functions. Your data is never sent to any server, ensuring complete privacy and security.

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