How to use the url encoder / decoder
URL component encoding escapes characters that have special meaning in query parameters or path segments. This tool uses encodeURIComponent and decodeURIComponent, so it encodes a whole pasted URL as a component rather than preserving its separators. Decoding rejects malformed percent escapes. A plus sign remains a plus sign; form-urlencoded spaces use a different convention.
Work directly in the input area at the top of this page and choose the settings that match your task. Run the action to see the output separately from your original input. Start with a small example whose result you can check, then process the value you actually need. Changing an input clears an older result so it cannot be mistaken for a fresh conversion.
Processing runs in your browser. This tool does not send your input to a conversion server, create an account history, or save the input in browser storage. A copied result remains subject to your device clipboard settings, while a downloaded file stays on your device until you remove it. Anyone with access to your screen or browser can still see the information you enter.
Use Copy for text output or Download for a local file. If clipboard access is unavailable, select the output and copy it manually. Clear removes the current result and any main text or file input; settings remain available for another run. Keep original files and important values until you have checked that the output works in the application where you intend to use it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between encoding a whole URL and encoding one value?
Encoding a whole URL leaves the structural characters such as :, / and ? intact. Encoding a single value escapes those too, which is what you want when a value goes inside a query string — otherwise an & or a ? in the value splits the parameter.
Why did my spaces turn into %20 instead of +?
%20 is correct for a URL path and is accepted everywhere in a query string. The + form belongs only to HTML form submissions, where it is a legacy of the form-encoding rules rather than of URLs themselves.
Does this handle accents, emoji and other non-English text?
Yes. Text is encoded as UTF-8 before escaping, which is what modern browsers and servers expect. Older systems that assume Latin-1 may still show the wrong characters; that is a decoding choice at their end, not an encoding error here.