Free URL encoder and decoder — encode and decode URLs and URL components. Free online percent encoding tool.
Encode and decode URLs and URL components. Full URL and component modes with percent encoding. Works 100% in your browser.
Text to Encode
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Encoded Result
Result will appear here
Disclaimer: This tool processes all data locally in your browser. No URLs or text are sent to any server. The component mode uses encodeURIComponent/decodeURIComponent functions.
What the URL Encoder/Decoder Does and Why It Matters
This tool percent-encodes and decodes URLs and URL components, converting characters that are unsafe in a URL (spaces, ampersands, non-ASCII text) into the %XX form and back again. It offers both full-URL and single-component modes.
Correct encoding is what keeps query strings, parameters, and links from breaking. Whether you are building an API request, debugging a redirect, or sharing a link with special characters, encoding the right pieces prevents data from being lost or misread.
How to Use URL Encoder/Decoder
Choose encode or decode.
Select full-URL mode or component mode depending on your need.
Paste the URL or component.
Run the conversion.
Review the encoded or decoded result.
Copy it into your request, link, or code.
Supported Inputs and Limitations
Supported input
A full URL
A single URL component (e.g. a query parameter value)
Percent-encoded strings for decoding
What you get
A properly percent-encoded URL or component
The decoded, human-readable original
Copy-ready output for requests and links
Known limitations
Use component mode for parameter values; full-URL mode preserves structural characters like / and ? that component mode would encode.
Decoding malformed percent-sequences can fail or produce unexpected characters.
Encoding does not validate that the URL points to a real resource.
Privacy and Security
Encoding and decoding run locally in your browser, so the URLs you paste are never sent to NovaTools and nothing is stored. You can process links containing internal paths privately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between full-URL and component mode?
Full-URL mode keeps structural characters such as :, /, ?, and & intact so the URL still works. Component mode encodes those too, which is what you want for a single parameter value embedded in a query string.
When do I actually need URL encoding?
Whenever a value contains characters that are reserved or unsafe in a URL — spaces, &, =, +, or non-ASCII text. Encoding those prevents the parameter from being split or misinterpreted.
Is my URL data sent anywhere?
No. The conversion is entirely client-side, so even links with internal paths stay on your device.
URL encoding (also known as percent-encoding) is a mechanism for encoding information in a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) under certain circumstances. It's used to convert characters that are not allowed in URLs into a format that can be transmitted over the internet. Special characters are replaced with a percent sign (%) followed by two hexadecimal digits representing the character's ASCII value.
How to Use
Select Encode or Decode mode.
Choose URL Component mode if you want to encode/decode query string parameters (spaces become %20).
Enter your text or URL in the input area.
Click Convert to see the result.
Use Copy to copy the result to your clipboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between full URL and component mode?
Full URL mode uses encodeURI/decodeURI which preserves URL-reserved characters like :, /, ?, #, etc. Component mode uses encodeURIComponent/decodeURIComponent which encodes all special characters, making it suitable for query string parameters and form data.
When should I use URL encoding?
You need URL encoding when passing special characters, spaces, or non-ASCII characters in URLs. This includes query parameters, path segments with spaces, and any data that will be part of a URL.
Is my data kept private?
Yes, completely. All encoding and decoding happens locally in your browser using JavaScript. No data is ever transmitted to any server or stored anywhere.
What characters get encoded?
Characters that are encoded include spaces (as %20 or +), special symbols like ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) = + [ ] { } | \ : ; " ' < > , . ? /, and all non-ASCII characters. In component mode, reserved URL characters are also encoded.
Why do I get an error when decoding?
Decoding errors typically occur when the input contains invalid percent-encoding sequences (like % followed by non-hexadecimal characters) or when there's a mismatch between the encoding method used and the decoding method selected.
Recommended next reading
Use these practical guides to understand when this tool is the right choice, what to check before exporting, and which workflow usually comes next.
