Developer tools
URL Encode & Decode

URL encoder and decoder

Encode text so it is safe to put in a query string or path, or decode a percent-encoded URL back into something readable. Choose component mode for parameter values, or full-URL mode to keep the URL’s structure intact.

Open URL Encode & Decode — free Get the Windows app

Free in your browser — no sign-up. Install from the Microsoft Store to use it offline on Windows 10 and 11.

How to use it

Open the URL Encoder and choose Encode or Decode.
Paste your text. Turn on full-URL mode to encode a whole URL without escaping :, /, ? and &.
Copy the result.

Example

Component mode — input

name=Ada Lovelace&city=São Paulo

Encoded

name%3DAda%20Lovelace%26city%3DS%C3%A3o%20Paulo

Full-URL mode — input

https://example.com/search?q=hello world

Encoded

https://example.com/search?q=hello%20world

Features

Component mode (like encodeURIComponent) — escapes everything that isn’t safe inside a single parameter value.
Full-URL mode (like encodeURI) — keeps the URL’s structure and escapes only illegal characters.
Decode any percent-encoded string, including UTF-8 sequences such as %C3%A3.

Frequently asked questions

When should I use component mode instead of full-URL mode?

Use component mode for a single value you are inserting into a URL, such as a search term. Use full-URL mode when you have a complete URL that just contains a few illegal characters, such as spaces.

Why does a space become %20 and not +?

Percent-encoding uses %20 for spaces. The + form only applies to HTML form submissions (application/x-www-form-urlencoded).

Is it free?

Yes, the URL encoder and decoder are free and work offline in the Windows app.

One workspace for all of it

URL Encode & Decode is one of 18 developer tools in CodeForge — alongside a JSON formatter, JWT decoder, regex tester, UUID and hash generators, and more. Press Ctrl+K to jump to any of them.