URL Encoder / Decoder

What is URL Encoding?

URL encoding, also known as percent encoding, is a vital technique for ensuring that data is transmitted correctly across the internet. Since URLs can only safely contain a limited set of characters—such as letters, numbers, hyphens (-), underscores (_), dots (.), and tildes (~)—any other character must be encoded. This includes spaces, special characters, and non-ASCII characters.

URL encoding works by converting these characters into one or more bytes, and then representing each byte as a pair of hexadecimal digits preceded by a percent sign (%). This is why the process is often referred to as percent encoding. Proper URL encoding ensures that web addresses are interpreted correctly by browsers and servers, preventing broken links or data corruption.

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How to Encode a URL

Our URL Encoder / Decoder tool makes encoding URLs simple and fast. By entering your text or URL into the input field, the tool generates a properly encoded UTF-8 version.

Here’s how it works step by step:

1. Each reserved or special character in the URL is converted into one or more bytes.
2. Each byte is represented as two hexadecimal digits, preceded by a percent sign (%).
3. The resulting string is safe to use in URLs and can be reliably transmitted over the internet.

For example, to encode the character @, we first determine its ASCII value, which is 64 in decimal. Converting 64 to hexadecimal gives us 40, and adding the percent sign results in %40. This is the standard URL-encoded representation of the @ symbol.

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What is URL Decoding?

URL decoding, also called percent decoding, is the reverse of URL encoding. It converts percent-encoded characters back to their original form, making the URL readable and usable.

The decoding process is straightforward:

1. Each percent-encoded byte (e.g., %40) is identified.
2. The hexadecimal value is converted back into its original byte.
3. The byte is interpreted as the corresponding character in UTF-8 or ASCII.

URL decoding is essential for interpreting links, form data, and query parameters correctly, especially when URLs contain special characters or spaces.

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Why Use a URL Encoder / Decoder Tool?

Manually encoding or decoding URLs can be tedious and error-prone, particularly when dealing with complex strings or multiple special characters. Using a tool like ours offers several advantages:

• Saves time: Quickly encode or decode long URLs without manual calculations.
• Ensures accuracy: Guarantees that special characters are correctly encoded for safe web transmission.
• User-friendly: No technical knowledge required—just paste your text and click a button.
• Versatile: Works for links, form data, query strings, and more.

Whether you are a web developer, digital marketer, or content creator, this tool ensures your URLs are always clean, safe, and functional.

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How to Use Our URL Encoder / Decoder

1. Paste your text or URL into the input field.
2. Click Encode URL to convert it into a web-safe string.
3. Click Decode URL to convert any encoded string back to its original text.
4. Use the Copy button to quickly copy the result to your clipboard.

With this intuitive workflow, you can handle URL encoding and decoding instantly, without any errors or confusion.