URL Encoder/Decoder - Encode URLs Online

What is URL Encoding?

URL encoding (percent-encoding) converts special characters in URLs to a format that can be safely transmitted over the internet. Characters like spaces, symbols, and non-ASCII text are converted to %XX format where XX is the hexadecimal value.

Why URL Encoding Matters

• 🌐 Web Standards: URLs can only contain specific ASCII characters
• 🔗 Link Safety: Prevent broken links with special characters
• 🔍 Search Parameters: Safely pass data in query strings
• 📱 Cross-Platform: Ensure URLs work across all browsers and systems

Common Characters That Need Encoding

Real-World Examples

Search Queries

Before: https://example.com/search?q=hello world
After:  https://example.com/search?q=hello%20world

File Paths with Spaces

Before: https://cdn.example.com/images/my photo.jpg
After:  https://cdn.example.com/images/my%20photo.jpg

International Characters

Before: https://example.com/café
After:  https://example.com/caf%C3%A9

When to Use URL Encoding

✅ Query Parameters — Always encode values in ?key=value pairs
✅ Form Data — When submitting forms via GET/POST
✅ File Names — URLs pointing to files with special characters
✅ API Endpoints — Passing user input as URL parameters
✅ Social Sharing — URLs shared on social media platforms

Features

🚀 Instant Encoding/Decoding — Real-time results as you type
🌐 Full URL Support — Handle complete URLs or individual components
📝 UTF-8 Compatible — Properly encode international characters
📋 One-Click Copy — Copy results instantly to clipboard
🔄 Bidirectional — Encode to percent-encoding or decode back to text

Developer Tips

JavaScript

// Encoding
const encoded = encodeURIComponent("hello world & more");
// Result: "hello%20world%20%26%20more"

// Decoding  
const decoded = decodeURIComponent("hello%20world%20%26%20more");
// Result: "hello world & more"

PHP

// Encoding
$encoded = urlencode("hello world & more");

// Decoding
$decoded = urldecode("hello%20world%20%26%20more");

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Double Encoding — Don't encode already-encoded URLs
❌ Encoding Entire URLs — Only encode the parameter values, not the whole URL
❌ Forgetting Form Data — Always encode form values before submission
❌ Mixed Encoding — Use consistent encoding throughout your application