URL encoding workflow
URL-encode a query string safely
Spaces, ampersands, and non-ASCII characters break URLs unless they are encoded. The URL encoder and decoder converts any string into a safe percent-encoded form and decodes it back, all locally.
The fast workflow
Follow the same short workflow every time so the result is predictable.
Paste the string
Add the query parameter value or full path segment.
Encode or decode
Run the conversion in the direction you need.
Review the output
Check that spaces became %20 and special characters are escaped.
Use it in your URL
Paste the encoded result into the request or link.
What percent-encoding does
URL encoding replaces unsafe characters with a percent sign followed by two hex digits. Spaces become %20, ampersands become %26, and non-ASCII characters become their UTF-8 byte sequences.
The same tool works for query strings and paths; for API work, pair it with the query string parser to inspect parameters on the receiving side.
Common problems
- Sending raw spaces and ampersands in query strings
- Double-encoding values that are already encoded
- Encoding the whole URL including the scheme, which breaks it
Best practices
- Encode values, not the full URL
- Decode once; double decoding corrupts data
- Keep encoding consistent between client and server
Frequently asked questions
Why do spaces break URLs?
Browsers and servers treat raw spaces as delimiters or reject them. Encoding spaces as %20 makes the URL unambiguous.
What characters always need encoding?
Spaces, control characters, and reserved characters such as &, =, ?, and # when they are part of a value.
What is double encoding and why avoid it?
Encoding an already encoded value escapes the percent signs again, so the server receives the wrong data. Decode once, then encode once.
Is my URL data uploaded?
No. Encoding and decoding run locally in your browser.
Your data stays local
Everything runs in your browser. Files and values are never uploaded or stored.
Open URL Encoder Decoder