Input
0 charactersOutput
How to Use This Tool
Enter text or URL
Paste text containing special characters to encode.
Encode or decode
Toggle between URL encoding and decoding.
Copy the result
Copy the percent-encoded or decoded output.
Features
Encode & Decode
Switch between encoding special characters and decoding percent-encoded strings.
Real-Time Conversion
Output updates as you type with no submit button needed.
Full RFC 3986 Support
Correctly encodes all reserved and unsafe characters per the URL standard.
One-Click Copy
Copy the encoded or decoded result to your clipboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is URL encoding?
URL encoding (percent-encoding) replaces unsafe characters with a % sign followed by their hexadecimal value. For example, a space becomes %20 and an ampersand becomes %26. This ensures URLs are valid and unambiguous.
When do I need URL encoding?
URL encoding is needed when passing special characters in query parameters, form data, or path segments. Characters like &, =, ?, #, and spaces have special meaning in URLs and must be encoded when used as data.
What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?
encodeURI encodes a full URI, preserving characters like :, /, and ?. encodeURIComponent encodes everything except alphanumerics and - _ . ~, making it suitable for individual query parameter values.
Is + the same as %20 for spaces?
In query strings (application/x-www-form-urlencoded), + represents a space. In path segments and other contexts, %20 is the correct encoding. This tool uses %20 by default.