Why do I need to URL-encode characters?

URLs can only contain certain characters. Special characters like spaces or '?' have special meanings and must be encoded to ensure the browser interprets them as data, not as part of the URL structure.

What is percent-encoding?

Percent-encoding is a mechanism for encoding information in a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) by replacing 'unsafe' characters with a '%' followed by their hexadecimal value.

Can I decode UTM tracking links?

Yes. Simply paste the encoded URL into the decoder to see the clear-text values of your source, medium, campaign, and other tracking parameters.

Does it support UTF-8 characters?

Absolutely. Our encoder and decoder fully support international characters, ensuring that non-Latin scripts are handled correctly according to modern web standards.

Is my URL data shared with anyone?

No. All processing happens in your local browser environment. We do not store or track any of the URLs or strings you process with this tool.

Free URL Encoder & Decoder Online - Percent Encoding Made Easy

What This Tool Does

Ever noticed how a space in a URL turns into '%20' or a slash becomes '%2F'? That's URL encoding. Browsers can only understand a very limited set of characters in a link, so everything else has to be 'escaped' so the website knows where to go. If you try to send a link with a question mark or an ampersand in the wrong place, it will break the page.

We built this tool to make those messy links readable again, or to help you build safe links for your own projects. Whether you're a marketer trying to track a campaign or a developer building an API, it ensures your URLs are valid and won't throw a 404 error.

How to use

1Step 1: Select 'Encode' to make a string safe for a link, or 'Decode' to turn a messy link back into plain text.
2Step 2: Paste your text or URL into the input area.
3Step 3: Click the button and the result appears instantly.
4Step 4: If a link is double-encoded (lots of % characters), you might need to hit 'Decode' twice.
5Step 5: Copy the result and use it in your project.

Example Scenarios

Use Case 1:Marketing UTMs: Encoding campaign names with spaces so your tracking links don't break on social media.

Use Case 2:API Development: Making sure the query parameters you're sending to a server are correctly formatted.

Use Case 3:Link Debugging: Decoding a massive, garbled affiliate link to see where it's actually taking you.

Use Case 4:Fixing Broken Links: Manually repairing a URL that was corrupted by an email client or document editor.

Why It's Useful

Frictionless: No settings to mess with. Just paste and click.

Strict Compliance: It follows the official RFC 3986 standards, so you know the result will work in every browser.

Private: All encoding and decoding happen on your device. Your URLs are never tracked or logged.

Works for everything: From simple spaces to complex emojis, it handles all characters correctly.

Tips for Best Results

Let's break it down: only encode the *parameters* of a URL, not the whole thing (like the `https://`), or the link might stop working.

Most people get this wrong: they think a space in a URL is always a '%20'. Sometimes it can be a '+', depending on the server. Our tool uses the most common standard.

If you're seeing a lot of '%25' in a link, it's been 'double encoded.' Try decoding it twice to get back to the original text.

Use this when you're pasting a URL into a forum or chat app that doesn't like special characters.

URL Encoder/Decoder

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