Skip to content
Free Tools Galaxy
🔗
100% free · no signupRuns in your browser

URL Encoder/Decoder

Encode and decode URL components.

Best for: Building query strings, passing values through links, encoding redirect targets, and reading or repairing an already-encoded URL.

Complete guide

Input

How it's calculated & sources
The URL Encoder/Decoder uses the standard, deterministic formula, so the same inputs always produce the same result. It runs entirely in your browser, so your inputs are never uploaded. Last reviewed June 2026.

Free & no sign-up · runs entirely in your browser. Results are estimates for general information, not professional advice — verify important decisions with a qualified expert. Last reviewed June 2026.

Continue your journey

Where people usually head next.

Complete guide

Quick answers

Short, sourced answers to the questions people (and AI assistants) ask most.

What is URL Encoder/Decoder?
A URL encoder percent-encodes text so it can be placed safely in a URL, converting characters that have special meaning — space, ?, &, =, /, # — into %XX escape sequences, and decodes them back again.
Why does URL Encoder/Decoder matter?
The encoded string can be dropped into a URL without breaking it; decoding restores the original text.
How is URL Encoder/Decoder calculated?
Each unsafe byte becomes a percent sign followed by its two-digit hex value; a space becomes %20 (or + in form-encoded query strings). encodeURIComponent escapes more characters than encodeURI because it is meant for a single value, not a whole URL.
What are common url encoder/decoder mistakes?
Confusing encodeURI (keeps :/?&= for a full URL) with encodeURIComponent (escapes them — for one value).
When should you use the URL Encoder/Decoder?
Building query strings, passing values through links, encoding redirect targets, and reading or repairing an already-encoded URL.

What is the URL Encoder/Decoder?

A URL encoder percent-encodes text so it can be placed safely in a URL, converting characters that have special meaning — space, ?, &, =, /, # — into %XX escape sequences, and decodes them back again.

How the URL Encoder/Decoder works

Each unsafe byte becomes a percent sign followed by its two-digit hex value; a space becomes %20 (or + in form-encoded query strings). encodeURIComponent escapes more characters than encodeURI because it is meant for a single value, not a whole URL.

Worked example

'a b&c' → 'a%20b%26c' (space → %20, & → %26)

Key terms

Percent-encoding:
Representing a byte as %HH using its hexadecimal value.
Reserved characters:
Characters like ? & = / # that have structural meaning in a URL.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Confusing encodeURI (keeps :/?&= for a full URL) with encodeURIComponent (escapes them — for one value).
  • Double-encoding — encoding a string that was already encoded turns % into %25.
  • Encoding the whole URL when you only meant to encode one query parameter.

Keywords: url, encode.

Sources: RFC 3986 — URI Generic Syntax, MDN — encodeURIComponent()

Reviewed by the Free Tools Galaxy editorial team · Updated June 2026 · Calculated privately in your browser.

Frequently asked questions

Is the URL Encoder/Decoder free to use?+

Yes. Every tool on Free Tools Galaxy is 100% free, runs in your browser and requires no signup.

How accurate is the URL Encoder/Decoder?+

URL Encoder/Decoder uses the standard url encoder/decoder formula in double-precision arithmetic, so the same inputs always produce the same result and you can verify any figure by hand. It is an educational estimate — real-world outcomes depend on your actual rates, rules and assumptions.

Do you store my inputs?+

No. The URL Encoder/Decoder runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or saved to a server.

Can I use the URL Encoder/Decoder on mobile?+

Yes — the interface is fully responsive and works on phones, tablets and desktops.

What are common mistakes to avoid?+

The most frequent mistake is mixing units. Double-check your inputs use a single, consistent unit before clicking Calculate.

Explore more

Smart Autopilot

AI-style routing · 100% on-device

Based on this tool, your recent activity and how others chain tools together.

Part of a workflow

🛠️Dev CleanupStep 3 / 4
json formatterbase64url encoderuuid generator
Continue → UUID Generator

Smart recommendations

Share & publish

Share & challenge

Share-to-grow kit (Reddit, LinkedIn, Medium)
Reddit post
Title: I built/used this free url encoder/decoder — instant, no signup

Body: Encode and decode URL components. Try it: https://freetoolsgalaxy.com/tools/url-encoder
LinkedIn post
URL Encoder/Decoder on Free Tools Galaxy — Encode and decode URL components. https://freetoolsgalaxy.com/tools/url-encoder
Medium intro
# URL Encoder/Decoder — the free tool I keep coming back to

Encode and decode URL components.

Try it: https://freetoolsgalaxy.com/tools/url-encoder
Quora answer
The fastest way is to use a free in-browser url encoder/decoder: https://freetoolsgalaxy.com/tools/url-encoder. Encode and decode URL components.

Embed this tool anywhere

Free embed code for blogs, docs and dashboards. Every embed sends a backlink home — helping you and the galaxy grow together.

HTML iframe
Drop into any site — auto-resizes to its content height, theme-aware.
<iframe src="https://freetoolsgalaxy.com/tools/url-encoder?embed=1" title="URL Encoder/Decoder" loading="lazy"
  style="width:100%;height:600px;border:0;border-radius:16px;background:#0b1020"
  allow="clipboard-write"></iframe>
<script>window.addEventListener("message",function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==="ftg-embed-height"){document.querySelectorAll("iframe").forEach(function(f){if(f.contentWindow===e.source){f.style.height=e.data.height+"px";}});}});</script>
<p><a href="https://freetoolsgalaxy.com/tools/url-encoder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Powered by URL Encoder/Decoder on Free Tools Galaxy</a></p>
Responsive wrapper
Aspect-locked container — good for blog post bodies.
<div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:75%;height:0;overflow:hidden;border-radius:16px">
  <iframe src="https://freetoolsgalaxy.com/tools/url-encoder?embed=1" title="URL Encoder/Decoder" loading="lazy"
    style="position:absolute;inset:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0" allow="clipboard-write"></iframe>
</div>
WordPress / Markdown
Paste in a custom-HTML block or markdown file.
[URL Encoder/Decoder — free online tool](https://freetoolsgalaxy.com/tools/url-encoder)

<iframe src="https://freetoolsgalaxy.com/tools/url-encoder?embed=1" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe>
Text link-back
Minimal credit link — best for sidebars and footers.
<a href="https://freetoolsgalaxy.com/tools/url-encoder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Try the free URL Encoder/Decoder</a>

Share-to-Grow Kit

Pre-written, ready-to-paste posts for every major channel. Help others discover this tool — and earn backlinks.

Title
I built a free word counter that works instantly in the browser — no signup, no ads in your face
Body
Hey r/[subreddit],

I kept needing a quick word counter and most options online were slow or behind paywalls, so I built one that:

• Runs 100% in your browser (your data never leaves your device)
• No signup, no email wall, no popups
• Loads in under a second on mobile

It covers the standard word counter use cases (count, words, characters) and links out to the formula + worked examples if you want to learn the math.

Link: https://freetoolsgalaxy.com/tools/word-counter

Happy to take feedback — what's missing?
Post to a relevant subreddit (e.g. r/InternetIsBeautiful, r/webdev, r/productivity). Avoid spammy subs.
Developer & SEO tools