URL Encoder Decoder – Encode & Decode URLs Online Free

Q: What's the difference between encodeURI() and encodeURIComponent()?

encodeURI() is designed to encode complete URLs, preserving the URL structure. It doesn't encode characters that are part of URL syntax like :/?#[]@!$&'()*+,;=. encodeURIComponent() encodes everything except alphanumeric characters and -_.!~*'(). It's used for encoding individual URL components like query parameters. Our tool uses encodeURIComponent() for maximum compatibility with URL parameters.

Q: Should I use %20 or + for spaces in URLs?

Both are valid, but they're used in different contexts: %20 is the standard percent-encoded representation of a space and works everywhere in a URL. + is traditionally used in the query string portion of URLs (after the ?) and is automatically converted to spaces by most servers when parsing query parameters. For maximum compatibility, we recommend using %20 throughout the entire URL, as some servers may not properly convert + to spaces in all parts of the URL.

Q: Is my data safe with this URL encoder/decoder?

Absolutely. All URL encoding and decoding happens locally in your web browser using JavaScript. Your text is never uploaded to any server, stored in databases, or shared with third parties. This privacy-focused approach ensures that sensitive URLs or data remain completely confidential.

Q: What characters don't need to be encoded in URLs?

The following characters are considered 'safe' and don't require encoding in URLs: Alphanumeric characters: A-Z, a-z, 0-9. Special reserved characters: - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ). URL structure characters: :/?#[]@!$&'()*+,;= (when used in their proper context). All other characters, including spaces, should be percent-encoded for safe transmission.

Q: How do I encode URLs for SEO purposes?

For SEO-friendly URLs: 1. Use lowercase letters consistently. 2. Encode all spaces as %20 (not +). 3. Keep URLs short and descriptive. 4. Use hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_) to separate words. 5. Avoid special characters when possible, but encode them properly when necessary. 6. Ensure encoded URLs are consistent across your website. Proper URL encoding helps search engines correctly index your pages and improves user experience by ensuring links work reliably.

Q: What common errors occur with URL encoding?

Common URL encoding issues include: Double encoding: Encoding already-encoded text (e.g., encoding %20 which becomes %2520). Mixed encoding: Using both %20 and + for spaces inconsistently. Incomplete decoding: Not decoding all encoded characters before processing. Wrong component encoding: Using encodeURI() when encodeURIComponent() is needed for query parameters. Our tool helps prevent these issues by clearly indicating whether you're encoding or decoding and showing the exact result.

Q: Is this URL encoder/decoder tool completely free?

Yes, 100% free forever! There are no hidden costs, subscription fees, or usage limits. You can encode and decode as many URLs as you need without registration or payment. We believe in providing valuable web development tools accessible to everyone.

Input Text or URL:

Encoded/Decoded Result:

Copy result

✔ Runs entirely in your browser • ✔ No data uploads • ✔ Free forever

What is URL Encoding and Decoding?

URL encoding (also known as percent encoding) is a mechanism for encoding information in a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) under certain circumstances. It converts characters into a format that can be transmitted over the Internet, replacing unsafe ASCII characters with a "%" followed by two hexadecimal digits.

Quick Examples: Before & After Encoding

Original URL/Text	Encoded Result	What Changed
`search?q=hello world`	`search?q=hello%20world`	Space → %20
`file name&id=1`	`file%20name%26id%3D1`	Space → %20, & → %26, = → %3D
`café menu`	`caf%C3%A9%20menu`	é → %C3%A9 (UTF-8), Space → %20

Common Use Cases for URL Encoding

Web Development: Safely pass parameters in URLs, especially when they contain spaces, special characters, or non-ASCII text
SEO Optimization: Create clean, web-friendly URLs that work across all browsers and platforms
API Integration: Properly format query strings for API calls and web services
Data Transmission: Encode form data for GET requests and URL parameters
Security: Prevent URL injection attacks by properly encoding user input

Characters That Require URL Encoding

Character	Description	Encoded Equivalent	Why It Needs Encoding
(Space)	Space character	`%20` or `+`	Spaces are not allowed in URLs
`&`	Ampersand	`%26`	Used to separate query parameters
`?`	Question mark	`%3F`	Marks the beginning of query string
`=`	Equals sign	`%3D`	Used in key=value pairs
`#`	Hash/Pound sign	`%23`	Indicates fragment identifier
`%`	Percent sign	`%25`	Used in encoding sequences
`+`	Plus sign	`%2B`	Often represents spaces in query strings

How Our URL Encoder & Decoder Works

Our tool uses the standard JavaScript encodeURIComponent() and decodeURIComponent() functions, which follow RFC 3986 standards for URI encoding. When you encode text:

Alphanumeric characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9) and special characters -_.!~*'() remain unchanged
Spaces are converted to %20
All other characters are converted to their UTF-8 byte sequences and percent-encoded

The decoding process reverses this operation, converting percent-encoded sequences back to their original characters.

Online URL Encoder Decoder vs Manual Encoding

Manually encoding URLs is error-prone and time-consuming, especially with special or non-ASCII characters. This online URL encoder decoder instantly applies correct percent encoding and decoding using RFC-compliant rules, helping you avoid double-encoding and broken URLs.

Frequently Asked Questions About URL Encoding

▶ What is URL encoding and why is it necessary?

URL encoding (percent encoding) converts characters into a format that can be safely transmitted over the internet. It's necessary because URLs can only contain a limited set of characters from the ASCII character set. Characters like spaces, ampersands, question marks, and non-ASCII characters must be encoded to prevent interpretation errors by browsers and servers.

For example, a space character is encoded as %20, so "my document.html" becomes "my%20document.html" in a URL.

▶ What's the difference between encodeURI() and encodeURIComponent()?

encodeURI() is designed to encode complete URLs, preserving the URL structure. It doesn't encode characters that are part of URL syntax like :/?#[]@!$&'()*+,;=.

encodeURIComponent() encodes everything except alphanumeric characters and -_.!~*'(). It's used for encoding individual URL components like query parameters. Our tool uses encodeURIComponent() for maximum compatibility with URL parameters.

▶ Should I use %20 or + for spaces in URLs?

Both are valid, but they're used in different contexts:

%20 is the standard percent-encoded representation of a space and works everywhere in a URL
+ is traditionally used in the query string portion of URLs (after the ?) and is automatically converted to spaces by most servers when parsing query parameters

For maximum compatibility, we recommend using %20 throughout the entire URL, as some servers may not properly convert + to spaces in all parts of the URL.

▶ Is my data safe with this URL encoder/decoder?

Absolutely. All URL encoding and decoding happens locally in your web browser using JavaScript. Your text is never uploaded to any server, stored in databases, or shared with third parties. This privacy-focused approach ensures that sensitive URLs or data remain completely confidential.

▶ What characters don't need to be encoded in URLs?

The following characters are considered "safe" and don't require encoding in URLs:

Alphanumeric characters: A-Z, a-z, 0-9
Special reserved characters: - _ . ! ~ * ' ( )
URL structure characters: :/?#[]@!$&'()*+,;= (when used in their proper context)

All other characters, including spaces, should be percent-encoded for safe transmission.

▶ How do I encode URLs for SEO purposes?

For SEO-friendly URLs:

Use lowercase letters consistently
Encode all spaces as %20 (not +)
Keep URLs short and descriptive
Use hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_) to separate words
Avoid special characters when possible, but encode them properly when necessary
Ensure encoded URLs are consistent across your website

Proper URL encoding helps search engines correctly index your pages and improves user experience by ensuring links work reliably.

▶ Can I encode non-ASCII characters (like Chinese or Arabic) in URLs?

Yes, our tool supports UTF-8 encoding for all Unicode characters. Non-ASCII characters are first converted to UTF-8 byte sequences, then each byte is percent-encoded. For example:

"café" becomes "caf%C3%A9" (é is encoded as %C3%A9)
"Hello 世界" becomes "Hello%20%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C"

Modern browsers and servers handle UTF-8 encoded URLs correctly, making international URLs possible.

▶ What common errors occur with URL encoding?

Common URL encoding issues include:

Double encoding: Encoding already-encoded text (e.g., encoding %20 which becomes %2520)
Mixed encoding: Using both %20 and + for spaces inconsistently
Incomplete decoding: Not decoding all encoded characters before processing
Wrong component encoding: Using encodeURI() when encodeURIComponent() is needed for query parameters

Our tool helps prevent these issues by clearly indicating whether you're encoding or decoding and showing the exact result.

▶ Is this URL encoder/decoder tool completely free?

Yes, 100% free forever! There are no hidden costs, subscription fees, or usage limits. You can encode and decode as many URLs as you need without registration or payment. We believe in providing valuable web development tools accessible to everyone.