About This Tool
This URL encoder/decoder converts text to URL-safe format and decodes URL-encoded strings. Essential for handling special characters in URLs, query parameters, and web development tasks.
URL Encoder/Decoder
Examples
| Original Text | Encoded URL |
|---|---|
Hello World! |
Hello%20World%21 |
user@example.com |
user%40example.com |
price=$100 |
price%3D%24100 |
name=John & Jane |
name%3DJohn%20%26%20Jane |
Note: URL encoding replaces unsafe characters with a percent sign (%) followed by two hexadecimal digits.
How to Use
- Paste or type your text or URL into the input field
- Click "Encode URL" to convert to URL-safe format
- Click "Decode URL" to convert encoded URLs back to readable text
- Use the "Copy" button to copy the result to your clipboard
- Click "Clear" to reset and start over
Common Uses:
- Query Parameters: Encode values for URL query strings
- API Development: Prepare data for REST API endpoints
- Form Submissions: Format form data for GET requests
- Email Links: Create mailto links with pre-filled subject and body
- Social Sharing: Encode URLs for social media sharing parameters
- SEO Work: Analyze and understand URL structures
Frequently Asked Questions
What is URL encoding?
URL encoding (also called percent-encoding) converts characters into a format that can be safely transmitted over the internet. Special characters are replaced with a "%" followed by two hexadecimal digits representing the character's ASCII code.
Why do URLs need to be encoded?
URLs can only contain certain characters from the ASCII character set. Special characters like spaces, symbols, and non-ASCII characters must be encoded to ensure they're transmitted correctly and don't interfere with URL parsing.
What characters need to be encoded?
Characters that need encoding include spaces, special symbols (!, @, #, $, %, &, etc.), non-ASCII characters (accented letters, emojis), and reserved URL characters (:, /, ?, #, [, ], @) when used in query parameters or path segments.
What's the difference between encoding and escaping?
URL encoding and URL escaping generally refer to the same process. However, "encoding" is the more technically accurate term for converting characters to percent-encoded format (%20, %2F, etc.).
Can I encode entire URLs?
You can encode entire URLs, but typically only the query string parameters and certain path segments should be encoded. The protocol (http://) and domain should not be encoded. This tool handles both complete URLs and individual text segments.