URL encode and decode (percent-encoding)

How it works

URLs only allow a limited set of characters. Spaces, accented letters, emoji and symbols with special meaning, such as &, =, ? or #, are written with percent-encoding: each UTF-8 byte becomes % followed by two hex digits. This tool does that conversion in both directions as you type.

Choose Encode component when the text goes inside a query parameter or a path segment. Separators are escaped too, so an & in the value does not split the query in two. Use Encode full URL when you have a whole URL with spaces or accents and want it to stay navigable without touching its separators. Decode reverses both forms and warns you when it finds a % that does not make a valid sequence.

If you paste an absolute URL, you also get its breakdown: protocol, host, port, path, fragment, origin and the list of query parameters, already decoded. It is the quick way to read a long tracking link, check an OAuth callback or see what your API actually receives.

Everything is processed in the browser with the standard URL and encodeURIComponent APIs; nothing is sent to a server.

Examples

Encode a value for a query parameter

Input

price=10€ & free shipping

Output

price%3D10%E2%82%AC%20%26%20free%20shipping

Break down a URL with parameters

Input

https://api.example.com:8443/v1/search?q=caf%C3%A9%20con%20leche&page=2#results

Output

Protocol   https:
Host       api.example.com
Port       8443
Path       /v1/search
Fragment   #results
Origin     https://api.example.com:8443
q          café con leche
page       2

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between encoding a component and a full URL?

Encoding a component (like encodeURIComponent) also escapes / ? & = and #, because the value goes inside a parameter. Encoding a full URL (like encodeURI) leaves those separators alone so the URL keeps working.

Why do I see %20 or +?

Both stand for a space. %20 is standard percent-encoding; + only means a space inside application/x-www-form-urlencoded form data. This tool produces %20, which works anywhere in a URL.

What does the malformed % sequence error mean?

Every % must be followed by two hex digits that form valid UTF-8. A lone %, as in 100%, has to be written as %25.