UtilityBaseDeveloper Tools
URL Encoder / Decoder
Percent-encode text for URLs or decode encoded URLs back to readable text.
Updated February 20, 2026
How to use the url encoder / decoder
- 1Paste your text or URL.
- 2Choose component or full-URL mode.
- 3Click Encode or Decode and copy the result.
Common uses
- Build query strings with special characters safely.
- Decode garbled URLs from logs and analytics.
- Read what a long tracking link actually contains.
Frequently asked questions
When do I use component mode vs full-URL mode?
Component mode (encodeURIComponent) encodes everything reserved — use it for individual values you're inserting into a query string. Full-URL mode (encodeURI) leaves URL structure characters like :, /, ?, and & intact — use it to clean up a complete URL.
Why does a space sometimes appear as + instead of %20?
The + convention comes from HTML form encoding (application/x-www-form-urlencoded), used in query strings. %20 is the universal percent-encoding. This tool decodes both.
Why did decoding produce another encoded-looking string?
The value was encoded more than once (%2520 is an encoded %20). Decode again until the text is readable.
Which characters must be encoded in a query value?
Anything with meaning in a URL: spaces, &, =, ?, #, +, and non-ASCII characters. Component mode handles all of them automatically.
About this tool
The URL encoder converts text into percent-encoded form safe for URLs — spaces become %20, & becomes %26 — and decodes encoded URLs back into readable text. It offers both component mode (encodes every reserved character; use for query parameter values) and full-URL mode (preserves the URL's own structure like :// and ?). Essential when building links by hand, debugging garbled query strings, and reading tracking URLs. Instant and local.
Like everything on UtilityBase, the url encoder / decoder runs entirely in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded or stored on a server. It's free to use with no account required. Browse more developer tools here.
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