URL Encoder

Percent-encode text for a URL.

FREE · NO SIGN-UP · RUNS ON YOUR DEVICE

Your text stays in this tab

  • 2ENCODINGS
  • 9CHARACTERS DIFFER
  • 0SIGN-UP
  • 1TAP TO COPY
Specification

URL Encoder at a glance

Direction
Encode, or decode
Value encoding
Safe inside a query value
Address encoding
Keeps an address usable
Characters that differ
Nine separator characters
Spaces
Spaces become percent twenty
Price
Free
Account required
None
Where it runs
On your device
How to

How to use URL Encoder

  1. 1

    Paste the text

    Paste the text.

  2. 2

    Pick the encoding

    Pick the encoding.

  3. 3

    Copy it out

    Copy the result.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Which encoding do I want?

Value encoding, nearly always. Address encoding is only for the rare case where a complete URL has to be encoded as a whole.

Why is my slash still a slash?

Address encoding leaves slashes alone on purpose, because escaping them would break the address. Switch to value encoding if the text belongs inside a query string.

Do spaces become plus signs?

No. Spaces become percent twenty here. Plus signs come from form encoding, which is a separate format with its own rules.

Can I go the other way?

Yes. The same panel decodes, and a broken escape is reported by character position so you can see where the string went wrong.

Background

Encoding a value is not encoding an address

Type or paste the text and the encoded result appears under it. Two encodings are offered: one escapes the characters that separate a URL, the other leaves them in place.

  • Percent encoding swaps a character for a percent sign and its two-digit hexadecimal value.
  • The nine separator characters are the whole difference between the two encodings.
  • Encoding an already encoded string escapes the percent signs again, so they become percent twenty-five.
  • Decode has no choice to make, which is why only the encode side asks.

Full specification

Specification of the URL Encoder tool
DirectionEncode by default, with decode on the same switch.
Value encodingEscapes the separator characters so the result is safe inside a query string.
Address encodingLeaves the separator characters in place so a complete address still works.
Characters that differSlash, question mark, colon, at, ampersand, equals, plus, dollar and hash.
SpacesBecome percent twenty, which is what a URL path or query expects.
PriceFree. Supported by clearly labelled ads placed outside the working area.
Account requiredNo.
Where it runsIn your browser tab. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Next step

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