URL Encoder / Decoder
Percent-encode text for safe use in URLs, or decode %-escaped strings — with component and full-URL modes and clear errors for malformed input.
How to use this tool
- Choose Encode or Decode.
- Pick component mode (escapes everything reserved — right for query-string values) or full-URL mode (keeps :/?#&= intact).
- Paste your text; the result updates live.
How it works
Percent-encoding replaces unsafe bytes with % followed by their UTF-8 hex value — a space becomes %20, an ampersand %26. Component mode uses encodeURIComponent (everything reserved gets escaped, correct for individual query parameters); full-URL mode uses encodeURI, which preserves the characters that give a URL its structure. Using the wrong one is the classic bug: encoding a full URL in component mode escapes the slashes and breaks it.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?
encodeURIComponent escapes every reserved character (use it for values you insert into a query string); encodeURI leaves URL-structural characters like :/?#& alone (use it on a complete URL). This tool exposes both as modes.
Why does decoding show an error?
The input has a malformed escape — a % not followed by two hex digits. The tool tells you instead of guessing; fix or remove the stray % and it will decode.
Does + mean a space?
Only in historical form-encoding of query strings. Standard percent-encoding uses %20; if your string uses +, replace it with %20 before decoding.