URL Encoder

What Is URL Encoding?

URL encoding, also called percent-encoding, converts special characters into a format safe for transmission in web addresses. Characters not allowed in URLs are replaced with a percent sign followed by their hexadecimal value.

For example, a space becomes %20, an ampersand becomes %26, and a question mark becomes %3F. This encoding ensures URLs work correctly across all browsers, servers, and systems.

This free URL encoder and decoder converts text to URL-safe format instantly, helping developers, marketers, and anyone working with web addresses handle special characters properly.

How to Encode and Decode URLs

Converting URLs takes seconds with this straightforward tool:

1. Select encode or decode mode depending on your needs.

2. Enter your text or URL in the input field. For encoding, enter plain text with special characters. For decoding, enter percent-encoded text.

3. View the processed result immediately in the output area.

4. Copy the result for use in your URLs, API calls, or web applications.

The tool handles all standard URL-unsafe characters, converting them to proper percent-encoded format that works universally.

Characters That Require URL Encoding

Different characters require encoding for different reasons:

Reserved characters have special meaning in URLs. Question marks separate query strings, ampersands separate parameters, and equals signs assign values. Using them literally requires encoding.

Space characters cannot appear directly in URLs and must become %20 or the + sign in query strings.

Non-ASCII characters including letters with accents, symbols, and characters from non-Latin alphabets require percent-encoding of their UTF-8 byte sequences.

Unsafe characters like backslash, quotes, and angle brackets may be misinterpreted by servers or browsers and should be encoded for reliability.

Control characters and unprintable characters cannot appear in URLs and must be encoded if needed.

When to Use URL Encoding

URL encoding is necessary in many web development scenarios:

Query string parameters containing user input or special characters need encoding to prevent breaking URL structure or security issues.

API requests often require encoding of parameter values, especially when data contains characters like spaces, symbols, or international text.

Form submissions using GET method encode form data in the URL automatically, but understanding encoding helps debug issues.

Redirect URLs passed as parameters need encoding so the destination URL does not interfere with the redirect parameter structure.

Analytics tracking parameters with special characters require encoding to ensure accurate data collection.

Sharing URLs containing special characters works better when properly encoded, preventing broken links across platforms.

URL Encoding Best Practices

Following established conventions ensures reliable URL handling:

Encode values, not entire URLs. Only apply encoding to parameter values and path segments, not to URL structural characters like colons in protocols.

Use UTF-8 as the character encoding standard. Most modern systems expect UTF-8 encoded bytes in percent-encoding.

Double-check decoded results to confirm they match expected values, especially when debugging URL-related issues.

Avoid double-encoding, which happens when already-encoded text gets encoded again, producing incorrect values like %2520 instead of %20.

Test URLs in actual browsers and systems since encoding requirements can vary slightly between implementations.

Use this tool to verify encoding before implementing in code, reducing debugging time and preventing encoding-related bugs.