URLs can only contain certain characters. Spaces, ampersands, question marks and non-English letters have to be percent-encoded to travel safely in a link.
Why encoding matters
An un-encoded space or & in a query string can break the URL or cut off your data. Encoding turns a space into %20 and other special characters into their safe equivalents, so the whole link works no matter what's in it.
How to URL-encode (step by step)
- Open the URL Encoder and paste your text or URL.
- Click Encode to make it URL-safe, or Decode to read it back.
- Copy the result.
Tip: encode values (the parts after
=), not the whole URL structure, otherwise you'll escape the slashes and separators you actually need.Common uses
- Building query strings with user input.
- Sharing links that contain spaces or symbols.
- Debugging why a link breaks after a certain character.
Frequently asked questions
How do I URL-encode text?
Paste your text and click Encode, spaces become %20 and other special characters are escaped so the string is safe in a URL.
When do I need URL encoding?
Whenever you put text with spaces or symbols into a link or query parameter, so the URL stays valid.
Can it decode an encoded URL?
Yes. Paste the encoded string and click Decode to get the readable text back.
Is my data uploaded?
No. It all runs locally in your browser.