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URL Encoder and Decoder

Encode text so it is safe to use in a URL, or decode a percent-encoded link back to plain text.

Private by design — your data stays on your device.

Input

Encoding mode

Output

What does the URL encoder and decoder do?

URLs can only contain certain characters, so spaces, accented letters and symbols such as & must be percent-encoded (a space becomes %20). This URL encoder converts text into that safe format, and the URL decoder turns encoded links back into readable text.

How to use the URL encoder and decoder

  1. Paste your text or URL into the input box.
  2. Choose “Component” to encode a single value such as a search term, or “Full URL” to keep characters like / ? & intact.
  3. Press Encode or Decode.
  4. Copy the output, or use it as the new input to keep working.

Your privacy

Encoding and decoding happen in your browser. Links you paste are never sent to MyToolsLab.

Read how MyToolsLab handles privacy

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between component and full URL encoding?

Component encoding (encodeURIComponent) encodes every reserved character, including / ? & = and #, which is right for a single query value. Full URL encoding (encodeURI) leaves those characters alone so a complete address still works.

When do I need a URL decoder?

When a link or log entry is full of sequences like %20 or %C3%A9 and you want to read it. Decoding turns them back into spaces, accented letters and symbols.

Why do some URLs use + instead of %20 for spaces?

HTML forms traditionally encode spaces in query strings as +. Tick “Treat + as space” when decoding data from a form; leave it unticked for paths, where + is a literal plus sign.

Why does decoding fail with a “malformed” error?

A % sign must be followed by two hexadecimal digits, and the bytes must form valid UTF-8. A stray % (as in “100%”) or a cut-off sequence causes an error; encode the % as %25 first.