URL encoder and decoder
Encode spaces and special characters as %20-style escapes for query strings, or decode a URL to read it.
How to use the URL Encoder / Decoder tool
- 1Paste the text or URL.
- 2Click Encode or Decode.
- 3Copy the result.
Good to know
- Everything runs in your browser — nothing is sent to a server.
- Uses standard percent-encoding, so the output works in any URL.
Frequently asked questions
When do I need to URL-encode?
Whenever a value in a query string contains spaces, &, =, ?, # or non-ASCII characters.
Why does a space become %20?
Spaces aren't allowed in URLs, so they're replaced by their hexadecimal code, 20.
Is URL encoding the same as Base64?
No. URL encoding escapes only unsafe characters; Base64 re-encodes all of the data.
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