URL Encode/Decode Tool
Encode special characters for URLs or decode encoded URLs. Essential for web developers, SEO specialists, and anyone working with web addresses.
About URL Encoding/Decoding
URL encoding converts characters into a format that can be transmitted over the Internet. URLs can only be sent over the Internet using the ASCII character set. Since URLs often contain characters outside the ASCII set, they must be converted to a valid ASCII format.
URL encoding replaces unsafe ASCII characters with a "%" followed by two hexadecimal digits. URLs cannot contain spaces, so they are typically replaced with either %20 or a plus sign (+).
Common Use Cases
- Web Development: Encoding parameters in query strings
- SEO: Handling special characters in URLs
- API Development: Properly formatting API endpoints
- Data Transmission: Sending form data via GET requests
- Security: Encoding user input to prevent injection attacks
Commonly Encoded Characters
| Character | Encoded Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Space | %20 or + | Spaces are not allowed in URLs |
| ! | %21 | Exclamation mark |
| " | %22 | Double quote |
| # | %23 | Hash/pound sign |
| $ | %24 | Dollar sign |
| % | %25 | Percent sign |
| & | %26 | Ampersand |
| ' | %27 | Single quote |
| + | %2B | Plus sign |
| , | %2C | Comma |
| / | %2F | Forward slash |
| : | %3A | Colon |
| ; | %3B | Semicolon |
| = | %3D | Equals sign |
| ? | %3F | Question mark |
| @ | %40 | At symbol |
How to Use This Tool
- Type or paste your text/URL into the input box above
- Click "URL Encode" to convert special characters to their encoded equivalents
- Click "URL Decode" to convert encoded characters back to their original form
- Use the "Copy to Clipboard" button to copy the result
- Use the "Clear" button to start fresh
URL Encoding Examples
Here are some practical examples of URL encoding:
- Original:
https://example.com/search?q=hello world - Encoded:
https://example.com/search?q=hello%20world - Original:
price=$100 & up - Encoded:
price%3D%24100%20%26%20up - Original:
file name.doc - Encoded:
file%20name.doc
Frequently Asked Questions
URL encoding (percent-encoding) is used for encoding data in URLs, while HTML encoding is used for displaying reserved characters in HTML documents. They use different encoding schemes and serve different purposes.
You should use URL encoding when:
- Passing parameters in a URL query string
- Including special characters in a URL path
- Submitting form data via the GET method
- Working with APIs that require encoded parameters
Historically, spaces in query strings were replaced with + signs, while in other parts of the URL they were replaced with %20. Modern systems typically use %20 consistently, but many systems still accept + as a space in query strings for backward compatibility.
Proper URL encoding is important for SEO because:
- Search engines need to properly crawl and index your URLs
- Malformed URLs may be treated as duplicate content
- User-friendly URLs (even when encoded) improve click-through rates
You can encode/decode up to 10,000 characters at once. For most URL encoding purposes, this is more than sufficient. If you need to process larger amounts of data, consider processing it in chunks.