URL Encoder & Decoder
Percent-encoding, plus a query-string breakdown
Input
Options
Scope
For strings that go inside a URL, such as parameter values. Encodes ?, & and / as well.
Result
Nothing entered yet
Paste a URL or string and the result appears here.
Encoding works on bytes, so one non-ASCII character can produce several %XX groups.
URLs may only contain a limited set of characters, so everything else gets rewritten as %XX. That makes shared links unreadable and pasted ones easy to break. Convert either way here, and see query parameters split out.
How to use
- 1 Paste a URL or a string.
- 2 Choose encode or decode.
- 3 Choose the scope — a single value, or a whole address.
- 4 Copy the result, or read the parameter breakdown below it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the two scopes?
"Single value" encodes everything including ?, & and /, which is what you want for a parameter value. "Whole address" leaves those structural characters alone so the URL still works.
Why does one character become several %XX groups?
Percent-encoding works on bytes, not characters. Anything outside ASCII takes multiple bytes in UTF-8 — accented Latin letters two, CJK characters three — so each one produces that many groups.
Why does decoding sometimes fail?
A stray % that is not followed by two hex digits, or a string that was encoded twice. Double-encoded strings show %25 where a % should be; decode twice to recover them.