About the URL Encoder / Decoder
Safely encode URLs with percent-encoding or decode them back to readable form. This free online URL encoder/decoder is essential for building query strings, sharing links with special characters, and debugging — all client-side and private.
Why this tool is useful
- Safely embed special characters, spaces, and unicode in URLs.
- Decode messy URLs when debugging redirect chains.
- Build query strings without breaking links.
How it works (client-side)
- Paste the URL or text to encode/decode.
- Click Encode or Decode.
- The browser's encodeURIComponent/decodeURIComponent does the work locally.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?
encodeURIComponent escapes everything (use for query parameters); encodeURI keeps URL structure characters like : and /. This tool uses the component variant for safe param encoding.
Is it safe for unicode?
Yes — UTF-8 characters are percent-encoded correctly.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Everything runs in your browser.