Encode URL Special Characters Online Free – Percent Encoding Decoder Tool
Convert special characters to percent-encoded format and back. Safe for query params, APIs, and web transmission.
0 characters
Paste a URL or text and click Encode URL or Decode URL
Free URL Encoder & Decoder — Percent-Encoding for Safe Web Transmission
URLs can only be sent over the Internet using the ASCII character-set. Since URLs often contain characters outside this set — spaces, non-Latin characters, emojis, or symbols like ? & = — they must be converted into a valid ASCII format. This process is called URL Encoding or Percent-Encoding.
Our tool uses encodeURIComponent() which encodes all special characters for maximum safety — ideal for query parameter values in API requests. The decode function reverses the process, converting all %XX sequences back to their original characters.
Common percent-encoded characters
Space
%20
?
%3F
&
%26
=
%3D
/
%2F
#
%23
!
%21
@
%40
How to Encode URL Special Characters Online Free
- Paste your URL or text into the input area — full URLs, query strings, or any text with special characters.
- Click "Encode URL" to convert all unsafe characters to percent-encoded format (
%XX). - Or click "Decode URL" to reverse the process — converting
%XXsequences back to readable characters. - Review the stats grid showing input/output character counts and how many characters were added or removed.
- Copy the result to clipboard or download as .txt for use in your code or API requests.
Percent Encoding Tool for API Requests – Key Features
encodeURIComponent for Maximum Safety
Uses JavaScript's encodeURIComponent() which encodes ALL special characters including ?, &, =, /, and #. This makes it safe for query parameter values in API requests and form submissions.
Bidirectional Encode & Decode
Encode any text to percent-encoded format, or decode an encoded URL back to readable text. Error handling catches malformed % sequences and shows clear error messages.
Character Difference Stats
The stats grid shows input characters, output characters, and the exact difference — so you know how many %XX sequences were added during encoding or removed during decoding.
Copy & Download Results
One-click copy to clipboard for pasting into code, Postman, or browser address bars. Download as .txt for documentation, testing notes, or sharing with team members.
URL Encoder / Decoder – Frequently Asked Questions
Paste your URL or text into the input area and click 'Encode URL'. The tool converts all unsafe characters (spaces, ?, &, =, etc.) into percent-encoded format (e.g. space becomes %20). Copy or download the result.
URL encoding (percent encoding) converts unsafe ASCII characters into a % followed by two hexadecimal digits so they can be safely transmitted over the Internet. For example, a space becomes %20, ? becomes %3F, and & becomes %26.
Use URL encoding whenever you pass user input as part of a URL query parameter — like search queries, form data, or API request parameters. This prevents browsers from misinterpreting special characters.
encodeURI() encodes characters not allowed in a full URL but leaves URL structure characters like /, :, ?, &, = intact. encodeURIComponent() encodes ALL special characters including these — making it safe for query parameter values. Our tool uses encodeURIComponent for maximum safety.
Paste the encoded URL (e.g. 'hello%20world%3F') into the input area and click 'Decode URL'. The tool converts all %XX sequences back to their original characters (e.g. 'hello world?').