What is URL encoding (percent encoding)?

URL encoding replaces unsafe characters in a URL with a % followed by two hex digits representing the character's byte value. For example, space → %20, & → %26, = → %3D. This ensures special characters don't break URL syntax. It's also called percent encoding because of the % prefix.

What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?

encodeURI encodes a full URL but preserves URL structure characters like :, /, ?, #, &, and =. encodeURIComponent encodes everything except unreserved characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, -, _, ., ~), making it ideal for encoding query parameter values. Use encodeURI for full URLs and encodeURIComponent for individual values.

How do I decode a URL-encoded string?

Paste your percent-encoded string into our decoder and it instantly converts %HH sequences back to their original characters. Our tool handles standard percent encoding, plus-as-space (form data), and multi-byte UTF-8 sequences. It auto-detects encoding format.

Should spaces be %20 or + in URLs?

Both are valid but in different contexts. %20 is the standard RFC 3986 encoding for spaces and works everywhere. The + sign represents spaces only in application/x-www-form-urlencoded format (HTML form submissions and query strings). Modern APIs typically use %20.

How does URL encoding handle Unicode and UTF-8?

URL encoding first converts Unicode characters to their UTF-8 byte representation, then percent-encodes each byte. For example, 'é' (2 bytes in UTF-8) becomes %C3%A9, and '日' (3 bytes) becomes %E6%97%A5. Our tool fully supports all Unicode characters including emojis.

What characters don't need URL encoding?

RFC 3986 defines unreserved characters that never need encoding: uppercase letters (A-Z), lowercase letters (a-z), digits (0-9), hyphen (-), underscore (_), period (.), and tilde (~). All other characters should be percent-encoded when used in URL components.

URL Encoder/Decoder

Our URL encoder decoder converts URLs and text to percent-encoded format and back in real-time. Encode special characters, query parameters, path segments, and Unicode text for safe use in URLs. Decode percent-encoded strings back to readable text. Supports RFC 3986 standard encoding, component encoding, and full URL encoding with UTF-8 support. All processing is client-side — your data never leaves your browser.

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calendar_today Updated: April 2026

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URL Encoding Analysis:

Mode: Encode text → percent-encoded URL
Standard: RFC 3986 percent encoding

Tip: Use encodeURIComponent for query values, encodeURI for full URLs.

lightbulb Tips

•Use encodeURIComponent for query values
•Spaces → %20 (standard) or + (form data)
•A-Z a-z 0-9 - _ . ~ are never encoded
•Always encode user input before URLs

How to Use This Calculator

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Choose Mode

Select Encode to convert text to URL encoding, or Decode to convert percent-encoded text back.

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Select Method

Choose Component (for query values), URI (for full URLs), or Form Data (+ for spaces).

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Enter Input

Type or paste your text (for encoding) or encoded URL (for decoding).

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Get Result

The result appears instantly. Click Copy to copy to clipboard.

The Formula

URL encoding (percent encoding) replaces unsafe or reserved characters with a percent sign (%) followed by two hexadecimal digits representing the character's byte value. For example, a space becomes %20, and '&' becomes %26. UTF-8 characters use multiple percent-encoded bytes (e.g., '€' → %E2%82%AC). Unreserved characters (letters, digits, -, _, ., ~) are never encoded.

URL Encoding = replace unsafe characters → %HH (hex byte value)

lightbulb Variables Explained

%HH Percent sign followed by two hexadecimal digits representing the byte value
Unreserved chars A-Z a-z 0-9 - _ . ~ (never encoded)
Reserved chars : / ? # [ ] @ ! $ & ' ( ) * + , ; = (encoded in components)
UTF-8 Multi-byte characters encoded as multiple %HH sequences

tips_and_updates Pro Tips

Use encodeURIComponent for query parameter values — it encodes everything except A-Z a-z 0-9 - _ . ~

Use encodeURI for full URLs — it preserves :, /, ?, #, &, = and other URL structure characters

Spaces can be encoded as %20 (standard) or + (form data / application/x-www-form-urlencoded)

Always encode user input before inserting into URLs to prevent injection attacks

UTF-8 characters like emojis get encoded as multiple %HH bytes (e.g., 😀 → %F0%9F%98%80)

Double-encoding happens when you encode an already-encoded string — decode first if unsure

RFC 3986 defines the standard: unreserved characters (A-Z a-z 0-9 - _ . ~) are never encoded

Encode & Decode URLs Online

Our free URL encoder decoder converts text to percent-encoded format and back instantly. Encode query parameters, path segments, and special characters for safe URL usage. Decode percent-encoded strings back to readable text. Supports UTF-8 and all Unicode characters.

URL Encoder - Text to Percent Encoding

Convert any text to URL-safe percent encoding instantly. Our encoder handles spaces, special characters, Unicode, and emojis. Choose between component encoding (for query values), URI encoding (preserving URL structure), or form data encoding (+ for spaces).

URL Decoder - Percent Encoding to Text

Decode any percent-encoded URL back to readable text. Paste encoded URLs, query strings, or individual parameters and see the original text instantly. Handles %HH sequences, plus-as-space, and multi-byte UTF-8 characters.

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