Why do URLs need encoding?

URLs only support ASCII characters. Special characters, spaces, and non-English letters must be percent-encoded to be valid.

%20 is the URL-encoded representation of a space character. Each special character has a unique percent code.

Is it the same as Base64?

No. URL encoding replaces individual special characters with %XX codes. Base64 converts entire binary data to text.

URL Encoder / Decoder

Encode or decode URL components safely in your browser.

Result

Free URL Encoder & Decoder Online

URLs can only contain a limited set of ASCII characters. Spaces, accented letters, and special characters must be percent-encoded (e.g., space becomes %20) to be included in valid URLs. Our tool handles both encoding and decoding, essential for web developers working with query parameters, API endpoints, and redirect URLs.

The encoder follows RFC 3986 standards, correctly encoding all reserved and unsafe characters while preserving URL-safe characters. Perfect for debugging broken URLs, constructing API calls, and handling internationalized domain names.

How to Use This Tool

Paste text or URL to encode/decode.
Click Encode or Decode.
Copy the result.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Tools You Might Like

Base64 Encoder

Encode and decode text to Base64 format locally and securely.

HTML Entity Encoder

Convert problematic HTML characters into their safe equivalents (entities) and vice versa.

Hash Generator

Create MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 hashes from text using local encryption algorithms.