You can encode or decode a URL online for free in seconds: open the URL Encoder / Decoder, paste the link or text, and convert it either way — turning 'my%20file%20name' back into 'my file name', or turning text with spaces and symbols into a URL-safe form that will not break in an email, form or redirect.
URL encoding (also called percent-encoding) exists because URLs may only safely contain a limited set of characters. Spaces, ampersands, question marks inside values, non-English characters and many symbols must be encoded, and browsers do it automatically most of the time — which is why you only notice it when a link arrives looking like alphabet soup, or breaks when you paste it somewhere.
Encode or Decode a URL in 3 Steps
- Open the tool. Go to the URL Encoder / Decoder.
- Paste the URL or text. For decoding, paste the full link exactly as received. For encoding, paste the text or the part of the URL that contains special characters.
- Convert and copy. Choose Encode or Decode, copy the result, and test the finished link in a browser before sending it anywhere — a decoded link is for reading, an encoded link is for using.
Percent-Encoding, Translated
Encoding replaces each unsafe character with a percent sign followed by two hexadecimal digits that represent the character's code. A space becomes %20, an ampersand becomes %26, a question mark inside a value becomes %3F. You do not need to memorise the table — the common ones below are the ones you will actually meet when reading links — but recognising the pattern turns a scary URL into a readable one at a glance.
Decoding reverses the process. It is how you check where a shortened or encoded link really points before trusting it, how you debug a form that submitted 'first+name' as 'first%2Bname', and how you read the search query inside a long analytics URL.
| Encoded | Character | Where you meet it |
|---|---|---|
| %20 | Space | File names and search queries in links |
| %26 | & (ampersand) | Separates parameters — encoded when inside a value |
| %3F | ? (question mark) | A question mark that is data, not the query start |
| %2F | / (slash) | A path separator encoded inside a value |
| %3A / %40 | : and @ | Times, email addresses inside links |
| %C3%A9 etc. | Non-ASCII letters | Accented and non-Latin characters, encoded as UTF-8 |
Characters most often behind broken pasted links (illustrative ranking) — hover or tap each bar for details.
When Encoding Is Required (and When It Breaks Things)
Encoding is required whenever data travels inside a URL: search boxes that put the query in the address, form submissions using GET, tracking parameters, redirect targets carried as a parameter, and file names with spaces. In those places an unencoded ampersand or question mark does not just look wrong — it changes the meaning, splitting one value into two parameters or ending the query early.
The classic breakage is a double-encode: a value encoded twice arrives as %2520 (an encoded percent sign followed by 20) and the receiving system decodes only once, leaving '%20' as literal text in a name or search term. If you see %25 scattered through a link, it has been encoded one time too many — decode it once and check. Developers meeting this in redirects should also read how our Redirect Generator structures clean redirect rules.
Safety: Decode Before You Trust a Link
A decoded view is a basic safety habit. Encoded characters can disguise a destination — the real domain in a link is the part between '://' and the next '/', and decoding helps you read it clearly before clicking or forwarding. If the readable destination is not the organisation the message claims to be from, stop, however convincing the rest looks.
Encoding is not encryption: anyone can decode a URL, so never treat an encoded link as a way to hide information, and never put passwords, tokens or personal data in a URL expecting encoding to protect them — URLs are logged by browsers, servers and analytics in plain view. The other link utilities live on the free tools page.
Developers: encodeURIComponent vs the Whole URL
One distinction saves hours of debugging. Encoding a complete URL must preserve its structural characters — the '://', '/', '?' and '&' that organise it — while encoding a single value (a search term, a file name) must encode those same characters when they appear inside the value. Tools and code libraries offer both modes for this reason. If a whole-URL encode turns your working link into one unreadable encoded blob, you used value-mode on a full URL; decode it and encode only the part that needs it.
Broken links usually surface during a launch or a migration. Our website launch checklist includes the redirect and link checks that catch them before your customers do.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does %20 mean in a URL?
%20 is an encoded space. URLs cannot contain literal spaces, so browsers replace them with %20 (or + in query strings). Decoding the URL turns it back into a readable space.
Is URL encoding the same as encryption?
No. Encoding is a public, reversible formatting rule — anyone can decode a URL instantly. Never rely on it to hide sensitive information.
Why does my link show %2520?
It was encoded twice: %25 is an encoded percent sign. Decode the URL once so %2520 becomes %20, then check whether it needs one more decode to become a space.
Should I encode a whole URL or part of it?
Encode only the values that contain special characters — a search term, a file name — and keep the URL's structural characters (://, /, ?, &) as they are.
Can I decode a URL to check if it is safe?
Decoding helps you read the real destination, which is a good first check. If the domain is not the organisation the link claims to represent, do not click it. Use the decoder to inspect it first.
Be the first to share a useful question or thought.