URL Encoder & Decoder
URLs can only contain a limited set of characters. Spaces, symbols and non-English letters have to be converted into percent-encoded form, such as %20 for a space. This tool encodes text for safe use in a URL and decodes encoded strings back to plain text.
Last reviewed:
encodeURIComponent: encodes everything except letters, digits and - _ . ! ~ * ' ( )
Choose between encoding a single value (such as a search query) and encoding a whole URL while keeping its structure. Conversion happens as you type and never leaves your browser.
How to use this calculator
- Choose the conversion: encode or decode, for a single value or a whole URL.
- Paste or type your text in the input box.
- Read the result below, or fix the error message if the input is invalid.
- Use Copy result to copy it.
Formula and variables
Each unsafe character is written as % followed by the hexadecimal value of each byte of its UTF-8 form. Space → %20, & → %26, é → %C3%A9
- Encode (value) - encodeURIComponent: also encodes / ? & = # : so a value cannot break the URL.
- Encode (whole URL) - encodeURI: keeps those structural characters so the link keeps working.
Worked example
Encode a search phrase to use as a query value.
| Text | chai & samosa/₹50 |
|---|---|
| Encoded | chai%20%26%20samosa%2F%E2%82%B950 |
- Spaces become %20 and & becomes %26.
- The slash becomes %2F so it is not treated as a path separator.
- The rupee sign is three bytes in UTF-8, so it becomes %E2%82%B9.
What changes the result
- Value or whole URL. Encoding a whole URL as a value would also encode the :// and slashes, which breaks the link.
- Double encoding. Encoding text that is already encoded turns % into %25. Decode first if unsure.
- Plus signs. In forms a + can mean a space. This tool uses %20, which is correct everywhere in a URL.
- Unicode. Characters outside English are encoded as UTF-8 bytes.
Benefits and practical uses
- Build safe links and query strings.
- Read encoded URLs from logs and emails.
- Handles Hindi and other scripts.
Assumptions and limitations
- Uses your browser's standard encodeURI and decodeURI functions with UTF-8.
- Invalid percent sequences show an error instead of producing partial output.
- Nothing is uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
What is URL encoding?
Replacing characters that are not allowed in a URL with a % sign and their hexadecimal byte values.
What does %20 mean?
It is an encoded space.
What is the difference between the two encode options?
Value encoding converts everything unsafe, including / ? & and =. Whole-URL encoding keeps those so the URL structure stays intact.
Why do I get an invalid sequence error?
Decoding fails when a % is not followed by two hexadecimal digits, or the bytes do not form valid UTF-8.
Can I decode a link in Hindi?
Yes. Encoded Devanagari such as %E0%A4%A8 decodes back to the original letters.
References
Page last reviewed on . This calculator gives estimates for planning only; it is not financial advice and not an offer from any lender.