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Instantly encode and decode URLs with our professional tool. Perfect for web developers, API testing, and data processing. Fast, accurate, and completely free.
📝 Plain Text
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🔒 Encoded URL
0 characters💡 How It Works
URL Encoding converts special characters into a format that can be transmitted over the internet. Characters like spaces, &, ?, and # are converted to percent-encoded values (e.g., space becomes %20).
What is URL Encoding?
Understanding percent-encoding and why it's essential for web development
URL Encoding (Percent-Encoding)
URL encoding, also known as percent-encoding, is a mechanism for encoding information in a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). It converts characters into a format that can be transmitted over the Internet by replacing them with one or more character triplets consisting of the percent character "%" followed by two hexadecimal digits.
Example:
Input: hello world
Output: hello%20world
Why Use URL Encoding?
- Safe transmission: Ensures special characters don't break URLs
- Query parameters: Properly format form data and API requests
- Compatibility: Handle international characters and symbols
- Security: Prevent injection attacks and data corruption
How to Encode & Decode URLs
Follow these simple steps to convert your URLs in seconds
Choose Mode
Select Encode to convert plain text to URL format, or Decode to convert encoded URLs back to readable text. Toggle between modes instantly.
Enter Your Text
Paste or type your URL, query string, or any text containing special characters. The tool processes your input in real-time with instant results as you type.
Copy Result
Click the "Copy Result" button to copy the converted URL to your clipboard. Use it in your code, API calls, or anywhere you need it!
Common URL Encoding Use Cases
Discover how developers and businesses use URL encoding daily
API Development
Encode query parameters for REST APIs, handle authentication tokens, and format API endpoints with special characters safely.
Form Data Processing
Process HTML form submissions, encode user input for URLs, and handle application/x-www-form-urlencoded data correctly.
Search Engines
Create SEO-friendly URLs with encoded search queries, handle multilingual searches, and build dynamic search parameters.
Email Links
Create mailto links with pre-filled subject lines and body text, encode email addresses, and handle special characters in messages.
File Uploads
Handle filenames with spaces and special characters, create secure download links, and manage file paths in URLs.
Social Media Sharing
Encode share URLs for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other platforms. Handle hashtags, mentions, and special characters properly.
Common URL Encoding Characters
Quick reference guide for frequently encoded characters
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about URL encoding and decoding
What is the difference between URL encoding and HTML encoding?
URL encoding (percent-encoding) is used for encoding data in URLs using the format %XX where XX is hexadecimal.HTML encoding uses entities like & or & for special characters in HTML content. While both handle special characters, they serve different purposes: URL encoding for URIs and HTML encoding for HTML document content.
When should I use URL encoding?
Use URL encoding when: (1) Passing query parameters with special characters, (2) Sending form data via GET requests, (3) Creating shareable links with dynamic content, (4) Working with API endpoints that contain user input, (5) Handling international characters or emojis in URLs, (6) Building mailto links with pre-filled content, and (7) Any time you need to include reserved characters like &, ?, #, =, or spaces in URLs.
Is URL encoding secure?
URL encoding itself is not a security measure—it's a data formatting technique. While it helps prevent certain injection attacks by escaping special characters, it doesn't encrypt or hide data. For security: (1) Always validate and sanitize user input, (2) Use HTTPS for sensitive data, (3) Implement proper authentication and authorization, (4) Don't rely on URL encoding alone for security, and (5) Be aware that encoded URLs are still readable when decoded.
Can I encode entire URLs?
Yes, but be careful! When encoding a complete URL, essential characters like :, /, and ? will also be encoded, which can break the URL structure.Best practice: Only encode the query string parameters and values, not the entire URL. For example, encode "hello world" in "https://example.com?q=hello world" to get "https://example.com?q=hello%20world". Use encodeURIComponent() in JavaScript for parameters and encodeURI() for full URLs.
What characters don't need encoding?
Unreserved characters that don't need encoding include: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, and the characters - _ . ~. These characters can appear in a URL without being encoded. All other characters, including spaces and special symbols, should be encoded. According to RFC 3986, reserved characters (! * ' ( ) ; : @ & = + $ , / ? # [ ]) have special meanings in URLs and should be encoded when used as data rather than as delimiters.
How do I encode URLs in different programming languages?
JavaScript: encodeURIComponent(str) or encodeURI(str)
PHP: urlencode($str) or rawurlencode($str)
Python: urllib.parse.quote(str) or urllib.parse.urlencode(dict)
Java: URLEncoder.encode(str, "UTF-8")
C#: HttpUtility.UrlEncode(str) or Uri.EscapeDataString(str)
Why Use Our URL Encoder/Decoder?
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