URL Encode/Decode
Encode and decode URL text.
This runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
Why URL text needs encoding
URLs have reserved characters with structural meanings. A question mark can begin a query, an ampersand can separate parameters, and a hash can identify a fragment. When one of those characters belongs to a value, percent encoding represents it safely as text. This tool lets you encode a complete value and decode the result without sending it anywhere.
Paste a URL, a query value, or another piece of URL text. Use the sample to see a space become encoded, then copy or download the result as url.txt. Encoding changes representation only. It does not encrypt data or make a private URL safe to share.
Component mode and Form mode
Component mode follows JavaScript URL component behavior. It is a good fit for one path segment, query value, or other component where reserved characters should be escaped as data. It keeps a space as percent-encoded text instead of treating it as a form separator.
Form mode follows the common application/x-www-form-urlencoded convention. Spaces become plus signs during encoding, and decoding treats plus as a space. Choose the mode used by the system receiving the value. A mismatch can produce a valid-looking but different string.
Encode values at the right boundary
Encode a value once at the boundary where it becomes part of a URL. Encoding an entire URL when you meant to encode one query value can escape its separators and change how the browser parses it. Likewise, decoding a complete URL can turn encoded delimiters back into characters with structural meaning. If you are building a query string, handle each parameter according to its server contract.
A malformed percent escape such as %% is not guessed during decode. The page shows an error so you can correct the input. For binary or text representation work, compare the related Base64 tool instead.
Privacy and security boundaries
Input and output remain in this browser. Nothing is uploaded, and there is no account or server-side URL log for the tool. Still, a URL can contain credentials, access tokens, or personal information, so avoid sharing encoded output merely because it looks unfamiliar. Encoding is not a replacement for HTTPS, authorization, or encryption. Hash text locally withHash Generator when you need a checksum rather than reversible URL representation.
FAQ
Does URL Encode/Decode upload my URL?
No. Encoding and decoding run in your browser. After the page loads, the page still works in airplane mode. TheDevTab never receives the text.
What is Component mode?
Component mode uses URL component rules. It encodes reserved characters so a value can safely be placed inside one URL component such as a query value or path segment.
What is Form mode?
Form mode follows application/x-www-form-urlencoded conventions, where spaces are represented with plus signs when encoding and decoded plus signs can become spaces.
Does encoding make a URL secure?
No. Percent encoding changes representation, not permissions, encryption, or authentication. Use HTTPS and application-level security for sensitive data.
Why do spaces become %20 or +?
Component mode uses percent encoding for spaces. Form mode uses the form convention and represents spaces as plus signs, which is why the mode matters.
What happens for malformed percent escapes?
Decode reports an error instead of silently guessing. For example, an incomplete escape such as %% cannot be decoded as valid URL text.