URL Encoder and Decoder
The URL encoder converts text into percent-encoded form so it can safely travel in a URL, and decodes encoded strings back into readable text. It offers both component encoding for query values and full-URL encoding that preserves structure.
Input
Result
Your result will appear here.
Not sure where to start? Use Load example.
Results update automatically and are calculated on your device. Nothing you type is sent to a server.
Runs in your browser. Processing happens entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent to Delimiter.live.
How to use the URL Encoder and Decoder
- Pick encode or decode.
- Choose the scope: component for a single query value, full URL when you have a complete address, form for classic form submissions.
- Paste your text and copy the result.
Example
Input
free online tools & converters
Output
free%20online%20tools%20%26%20converters
Common use cases
- Building a query string containing spaces, ampersands or non-Latin characters.
- Reading an encoded redirect parameter to see where it actually points.
- Debugging a URL that breaks when a value contains a reserved character.
- Encoding a search term before appending it to an API endpoint.
Limitations and things to watch for
- Component and full-URL encoding are not interchangeable. Component encoding escapes reserved characters such as / ? & = # — which is correct for a value but would destroy a complete URL. Full-URL mode leaves those characters alone.
- Form encoding represents a space as + rather than %20, which is correct only inside application/x-www-form-urlencoded bodies and query strings.
- Decoding a malformed sequence such as a lone % is reported as an error rather than silently producing wrong output.
Frequently asked questions
When do I need component encoding instead of full-URL encoding?
Use component encoding for a single value you are inserting into a URL — a search term or an ID — so reserved characters cannot break the structure. Use full-URL encoding when you already have a complete address and only want illegal characters escaped.
Why is a space sometimes %20 and sometimes +?
Percent encoding uses %20. The + convention comes from HTML form submission and is only valid inside application/x-www-form-urlencoded data. Choose the form scope when you need it.
How are non-Latin characters handled?
They are converted to UTF-8 bytes and each byte is percent-encoded, which is what modern URLs require. So é becomes %C3%A9.
Is this the same as HTML escaping?
No. URL encoding makes text safe inside an address; HTML escaping makes text safe inside a page. Use the HTML escape tool for that.