URL Encoder

URL encoding, also known as percent-encoding, is the process of converting characters into a format that can be safely transmitted over the Internet as part of URLs. Our professional URL encoder and decoder tool helps developers, SEO professionals, and webmasters encode special characters, spaces, and non-ASCII characters into valid URL format using percent-encoding (%XX format). Whether you're building dynamic URLs, passing query parameters, debugging API requests, sharing links with special characters, or ensuring proper URL formatting across different platforms, URL encoding prevents errors and ensures reliable data transmission in web applications and services.

Understanding URL Encoding

URLs can only contain a limited set of characters from the ASCII character set: letters (A-Z, a-z), digits (0-9), and a few special characters (hyphen, underscore, period, tilde). All other characters including spaces, international characters, and reserved special characters must be encoded. URL encoding replaces unsafe characters with a percent sign (%) followed by two hexadecimal digits representing the character's ASCII code. For example, space becomes %20, ampersand (&) becomes %26, equals (=) becomes %3D, and question mark (?) becomes %3F. Reserved characters like &, =, ?, and # have special meanings in URLs (separating query parameters, defining values, starting query strings) and must be encoded when used as literal data rather than structural elements. URL encoding ensures URLs remain valid across all systems regardless of which characters the original data contains.

Common URL Encoding Use Cases

URL encoding serves essential functions in web development and data transmission. Query parameters in URLs require encoding when passing data containing spaces or special characters—search queries with "hello world" become "hello%20world" to avoid breaking URL structure. Form data submission via GET requests encodes form field values preventing special characters from interfering with URL parsing. API authentication often includes encoded credentials or tokens in URLs ensuring special characters don't corrupt authentication strings. Social media sharing links encode page titles and descriptions containing special characters, emojis, or international text. Deep linking in mobile apps encodes complex data structures passed through URLs to application screens. Email campaigns with tracking parameters encode user data and campaign information in URLs without breaking links. URL shorteners encode long URLs containing special characters before creating shortened versions. Web scraping and automation scripts encode search terms and parameters ensuring consistent URL formation regardless of input content.

How to Use This Tool

Using our URL encoder and decoder provides instant, accurate conversion between readable and encoded URL formats. Select the "Encode" tab to convert URLs with special characters to safe format—paste your URL containing spaces, special characters, or international text and click "Encode URL" to generate properly encoded output with all unsafe characters converted to %XX format. Select the "Decode" tab to convert encoded URLs back to human-readable format—paste your encoded URL with %20 and other percent-encoded characters and click "Decode URL" to reveal the original readable text. Copy results using the convenient "Copy" button appearing with encoded or decoded output. Reference the "Common Encoded Characters" section to understand how specific characters are encoded. Use the "Clear All" button to reset both input and output fields starting fresh. Click "Swap" to quickly switch between encoding and decoding modes while preserving your current data. The tool handles both individual query parameters and complete URLs with multiple parameters ensuring comprehensive encoding and decoding support.

URL Encoding Best Practices

Following URL encoding best practices ensures reliable web applications and proper URL handling. Always encode query parameter values—never insert raw user input into URLs as special characters will break URL structure and potentially create security vulnerabilities. Encode only the necessary parts—don't encode entire URLs including protocol and domain, only encode query parameter values and path segments containing special characters. Use consistent encoding throughout your application—mixing encoded and unencoded URLs creates confusion and potential bugs. Decode before displaying—show human-readable decoded URLs to users in interfaces while keeping encoded versions for actual HTTP requests. Test with edge cases—verify URL encoding handles international characters, emojis, and all special characters your application might encounter. Validate encoded URLs—ensure they're properly formed before making HTTP requests to avoid errors. Consider URL length limits—encoded URLs are longer than originals potentially exceeding browser or server limits especially with complex parameters. Document encoding decisions—clearly communicate which parameters require encoding helping developers maintain consistent URL handling across codebases.