Paste text or a URL-encoded string below, then choose Encode or Decode.
About this tool
Encodes special characters, spaces, and reserved symbols so text is safe to use inside a URL (as a query parameter, for example), or decodes an already-encoded URL component back to readable text.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a space become %20 or a plus sign?
%20 is the percent-encoded form of a space; a plus sign is an older convention specifically for encoding spaces inside a URL's query string. This tool uses %20, which is correct in every part of a URL, not just the query string.
Should I encode an entire URL, or just part of it?
Only encode the specific value going into a parameter — encoding an entire URL (including :// and /) breaks it, since those reserved characters need to stay literal for the URL to parse correctly.