URL Encoder / Decoder
Want to make your URL browser friendly? Try URL encoder decoder for converting URLs having non permissible characters.
Free Online URL Encoder & Decoder Tool
Convert special characters, spaces, and symbols into RFC 3986 percent-encoded UTF-8 format and decode back to plaintext.
Quick Answer & Overview
A URL encoder and decoder translates query strings and URLs between standard human-readable characters and RFC 3986 percent-encoded formats. It ensures special characters, spaces, and non-ASCII symbols transmit safely across web browsers and API endpoints.
Paste Plaintext or Encoded String
Insert your target web address, query parameter, or encoded URL string into the input field.
Select Encode or Decode Mode
Choose Encode to escape reserved symbols or Decode to restore percent signs into readable text.
Instant RFC 3986 Transformation
Our tool processes all characters into standard percent triplets conforming to W3C and IETF standards.
Copy Clean Result
Copy the formatted string directly to your clipboard for use in REST APIs, web links, or web forms.
Quick Answer: What is a URL Encoder / Decoder?
A URL Encoder / Decoder is a developer and webmaster utility that converts non-ASCII characters, symbols, and reserved delimiters into percent-encoded triplets (e.g., spaces become %20 or +, & becomes %26) according to RFC 3986 standards, ensuring web browsers and REST APIs transmit query data safely.
Common URL Percent-Encoding Values Table
| Plaintext Character | Percent-Encoded Hex | URI Functional Role |
|---|---|---|
| Space ( ) | %20 or + | Standard whitespace separator. |
| Ampersand (&) | %26 | Query parameter separator in URLs. |
| Question Mark (?) | %3F | Query string delimiter initiating parameter list. |
| Forward Slash (/) | %2F | Hierarchical path segment separator. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is URL encoding (percent-encoding)?
URL encoding is a mechanism for encoding information in a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). Characters not allowed in URLs (like spaces, non-ASCII letters, and reserved symbols like ?, &, #) are replaced by a % followed by two hexadecimal digits representing their UTF-8 byte value.
Why is URL encoding necessary?
Web URLs can only be transmitted over the internet using the standard ASCII character set. Because characters like spaces or ampersands have special syntactic meanings in HTTP requests, they must be safely escaped to prevent broken links or truncated query parameters.
What is the difference between %20 and + for space encoding?
%20 is the official RFC 3986 standard for encoding spaces anywhere in a URI. The plus sign (+) is historically used specifically in HTML form data and application/x-www-form-urlencoded query strings.
What are reserved characters in URLs?
Reserved characters have special syntactical roles within a URI, including : / ? # [ ] @ ! $ & ' ( ) * + , ; =. When these characters appear as data rather than syntax delimiters, they must be percent-encoded.
Does URL encoding affect Google search rankings?
Googlebot handles percent-encoded UTF-8 URLs gracefully. However, human-readable ASCII words in URLs provide better readability and higher click-through rates in search snippets.
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