URL Encoder & Decoder

Encode and decode URL text online

URLs use a restricted set of characters. A normal sentence may contain spaces, symbols, punctuation or non-English characters that need to be represented safely before they are placed inside a web address or query parameter. URL encoding converts those characters into a percent-encoded format that browsers and web systems can interpret correctly.

TextUni’s URL Encoder & Decoder gives you one focused workspace for URL Encode, URL Decode, Base64 Encode and Base64 Decode. Encode readable text before placing it in a URL component, decode an existing percent-encoded value, or convert text to and from standard Base64 when that is the format you need.

How to use the URL Encoder & Decoder

1. Paste a URL, URL component, Base64 value or text value into the editor.
2. Select URL Encode, URL Decode, Base64 Encode or Base64 Decode.
3. Review the result in the same editor.
4. Use Copy when the result is ready to use elsewhere.

The conversion appears in the same editor so you can make another adjustment, undo a change or switch between encoding and decoding without moving between separate pages. The editor scrolls internally for longer values while the important actions remain easy to reach.

What is URL encoding?

URL encoding, also called percent encoding, replaces characters that may have a special meaning in a URL. For example, a space is commonly represented as %20, an ampersand becomes %26, and a question mark becomes %3F. The percent sign indicates that the characters following it represent a hexadecimal value.

This is especially important for query parameters. In a URL such as https://example.com/search?q=..., characters like &, = and ? have structural meaning. If your actual search text includes those characters, it should be encoded so that the browser does not mistake it for part of the URL structure.

Readable text:
coffee & tea near me

Encoded text:
coffee%20%26%20tea%20near%20me

When should you URL encode text?

• Adding a user-entered value to a URL query parameter.
• Preparing a search term or tracking value for a web link.
• Working with URLs that include spaces, punctuation or symbols.
• Inspecting data copied from an encoded link or browser address bar.
• Debugging redirects, forms, web requests or API-related URL values.
• Converting readable text into a URL-safe component before use in a system.

A complete URL and one of its individual components are not always handled in exactly the same way by every programming language or web framework. If you are working in code, use the encoding method recommended by that language or framework. This tool is helpful for checking values, creating examples and understanding the encoded output.

What does URL decoding do?

URL decoding reverses percent encoding. It changes values such as hello%20world into hello world. Decoding is useful when you receive an encoded parameter in a link, a log, a form submission, an email or a browser redirect and need to read the original text.

A decode attempt can fail if the text contains an incomplete or invalid percent-encoded sequence. For example, a percent sign must normally be followed by two valid hexadecimal characters. If the tool reports that it cannot decode the value, check for a missing character, a copied line break or a percent sign that was intended as ordinary text.

Encoded text:
name%3DTextUni%26tool%3Durl-encoder

Decoded text:
name=TextUni&tool=url-encoder

Base64 Encode and Base64 Decode

TextUni also provides Base64 Encode and Base64 Decode in this same tool. Base64 is a data-encoding format that represents text or data using letters, numbers, plus signs, slashes and optional equals signs. It is often used when information needs to be represented in a text-only form.

Base64 is not URL encoding and it is not encryption. A Base64 value can generally be decoded by anyone who has the value. Use Base64 Encode and Base64 Decode for data representation only, never as a way to protect passwords, API keys, tokens or private information.

Normal text:
TextUni

Base64 encoded text:
VGV4dFVuaQ==

Spaces: %20 versus +

In URL encoding, a space is often displayed as %20. In some form and query string formats, a plus sign (+) may also represent a space. The exact result depends on how the value was created and how the receiving system interprets it. The “Spaces to %20” button is useful when you specifically need the percent-encoded form.

Be careful when decoding plus signs. In some situations a plus sign is a literal plus character, while in others it represents a space. If the meaning matters, check the system that produced the URL and test the final link before using it in production.

URL encoding and special characters

Characters such as spaces, quotation marks, ampersands, hashes, question marks, slashes, equals signs and non-ASCII characters can all affect how a URL is read. The hash symbol, for example, can begin a page fragment. An ampersand can separate query parameters. An equals sign can separate a parameter name from its value. Encoding a value prevents these characters from accidentally changing the structure of the URL.

This matters most when the character is part of your data rather than part of the URL itself. For example, the & in a query string separates parameters, but an ampersand inside a search phrase should be encoded as %26.

Privacy and safe use

The URL and Base64 conversions are designed to happen in your browser while you use the tool. You do not need an account to encode or decode a value. Still, avoid entering passwords, API keys, access tokens, private customer details or other sensitive information. URL encoding and Base64 both change representation; neither provides security or confidentiality.

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