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Free Online URL Encoder & Decoder

Convert text to percent-encoding (RFC 3986) and decode URLs instantly | Full UTF-8 support

URL Processor

Input raw text
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Output result
Length: 0 characters Ratio: 0%
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Input Length
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Output Length
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Size Change
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Special Chars
Keyboard Shortcuts: Ctrl+Enter Encode • Shift+Enter Decode • Ctrl+Shift+S Swap • Ctrl+L Clear All

RFC 3986 Compliant

Follows official percent-encoding standards for safe URL transmission

Full Unicode Support

Properly encodes all UTF-8 characters including emojis and international text

Real-time Processing

Instant encoding/decoding as you type with auto-process option

Advanced Options

Plus sign handling, full encoding mode, and case preservation

Size Analytics

Track character counts and size changes in real-time

Export Results

Download encoded/decoded output as a text file to your device

What is URL Encoding?

URL encoding, also known as percent-encoding, converts special characters into a format that can be safely transmitted over the internet. Because URLs can only be sent over the Internet using the ASCII character-set, spaces become %20, and special symbols like &, =, and ? get encoded into their hexadecimal equivalents. This strictly follows the RFC 3986 standard and ensures URLs work correctly across all browsers and servers.

Why UtilityX is Different

  • ✅ 100% Free Forever
  • ✅ RFC 3986 Compliant
  • ✅ Live Real-Time Encoding
  • ✅ Unlimited Daily Use
  • ✅ Zero Server Uploads
  • ✅ Full UTF-8 & Emoji Support

When Do You Need URL Encoding?

URL encoding is critically required when passing query parameters in URLs, sending HTML form data, working with REST APIs, and handling international characters or special symbols in web addresses. Without proper encoding, special characters can break URLs, lead to 404 errors, or cause unexpected server behavior.

encodeURIComponent vs Full RFC 3986 Encoding

Standard JavaScript encodeURIComponent() leaves some characters like ! ' ( ) * unencoded. Our Full RFC 3986 encoding option ensures that every character except unreserved ones (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, -, _, ., ~) is safely percent-encoded. This is especially useful for maximum compatibility in strict API environments and OAuth signature generations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is URL encoding (percent-encoding)?

URL encoding replaces unsafe ASCII characters with a '%' followed by two hexadecimal digits. This ensures URLs can be transmitted safely over the internet. For example, non-ASCII characters are encoded as UTF-8 byte sequences.

Is my data sent to any server?

No. All processing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your text never leaves your device, ensuring 100% privacy.

What's the difference between standard and full encoding?

Standard encodeURIComponent() encodes all characters except A-Z a-z 0-9 - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ). Full encoding also encodes special characters like : / ? # [ ] @ ! $ & ' ( ) * + , ; = to be extra safe for strict API environments.

What does 'Treat + as space' do?

Some older form encoding (application/x-www-form-urlencoded) uses '+' to represent spaces. When decoding, enabling this option converts '+' characters back to standard spaces for compatibility.

Why do spaces become %20?

URLs cannot contain literal space characters. The hexadecimal value for a space in ASCII is 20. Therefore, URL encoding replaces spaces with %20 to maintain a valid, continuous web address string.

How do I decode a URL?

Simply switch the tool to 'Decode' mode, paste your percent-encoded string (containing % symbols) into the input box, and the original readable text will instantly appear in the output box.