ToolSink

URL Encoder / Decoder

Encode or decode a URL or query-string with full support for reserved characters, UTF-8 and both encodeURI and encodeURIComponent modes.

What is the URL Encoder / Decoder?

The URL Encoder / Decoder converts text to and from percent-encoded form. Spaces become "%20", ampersands become "%26" and every non-ASCII character is safely escaped so it can travel through a URL, HTTP header or query string without confusing the receiver.

You need URL encoding whenever you build query strings from user input, forward text through email links, or debug an API that returns strings full of "%" symbols. Doing it by hand is error-prone; a dedicated tool is a click away.

Encoding and decoding both run inside your browser, so tokens or secrets pasted into the tool are never transmitted to a server.

How to use the URL Encoder / Decoder

  1. 1Paste the text or URL you want to encode or decode.
  2. 2Pick a mode: "Component" (encodeURIComponent — encodes everything, safest for query values) or "Full URL" (encodeURI — leaves reserved characters like /, ?, & alone).
  3. 3Click "Encode" or "Decode" to see the result.
  4. 4Copy the output to your clipboard with one click.

Key features

  • Two modes: component vs. full URL
  • UTF-8 aware (correctly encodes é, ñ, 中文, 😀)
  • One-click copy
  • Handles multi-line input
  • Detects and reports invalid percent sequences on decode
  • Runs offline

Examples

Encode a query value

Input
name=John Doe&city=São Paulo
Output
name%3DJohn%20Doe%26city%3DS%C3%A3o%20Paulo

Decode an API response

Input
msg=hello%20world%21
Output
msg=hello world!

Why use this tool

  • Removes guesswork when building URLs
  • Debugs mysterious "%" strings in seconds
  • Handles Unicode correctly
  • Two modes so you pick the right one
  • Private — nothing uploaded

Common use cases

  • Building safe query strings for links
  • Debugging redirect URLs
  • Decoding user input from server logs
  • Preparing email tracking links
  • Encoding path components in scripts
  • Teaching how percent-encoding works

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between component and full URL mode?

Component (encodeURIComponent) escapes everything including / ? & — perfect for query values. Full URL (encodeURI) preserves reserved URL characters so a whole URL still works.

Which one should I use for query strings?

Component. Reserved characters inside a value must be escaped so they do not break the query parser.

Can I encode emojis?

Yes — emojis are encoded as multi-byte UTF-8 sequences.

What if my Base64 has "+" and "/"?

Those characters are safe in the path but must be encoded inside a query value.

Is my data uploaded?

No — encoding is a pure browser operation.