URL Encoder / Decoder
Percent-encode or decode URL strings entirely in your browser. Supports both encodeURIComponent (for query params) and encodeURI (for full URLs).
Encoded output
Examples
What is URL Encoding?
URL encoding (percent-encoding) converts characters that are not allowed or have special meaning in URLs into a %XX format where XX is the hexadecimal value of the byte. For example, a space becomes %20, and & becomes %26.
encodeURIComponent vs encodeURI
- encodeURIComponent — encodes everything except letters, digits, and
- _ . ! ~ * ' ( ). Use this for individual query parameter values. - encodeURI — preserves URL-structural characters like
:// / ? # [ ] @ ! $ & ' ( ) * + , ; =. Use this when encoding a full URL.
Common use cases
- Encoding search query parameters:
q=regex+for+email - Building API request URLs with user-supplied values
- Decoding parameters from incoming HTTP request logs
- Preparing redirect URLs with encoded return paths
- Encoding non-ASCII filenames for use in URLs
Quick reference
→ %20! → %21# → %23$ → %24& → %26+ → %2B/ → %2F: → %3A= → %3D? → %3F@ → %40FAQ: URL Encoder / Decoder
Is this URL encoder free?
Yes — the URL encoder and decoder on Dev Brains AI is completely free to use with no signup required.
Does my data get uploaded to a server?
No. All encoding and decoding runs entirely in your browser using native JavaScript. Your data never leaves your device.
What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?
encodeURI encodes a full URL, preserving characters like /, ?, &, = that have structural meaning. encodeURIComponent encodes a single query parameter value, encoding those structural characters too. Use Component mode for encoding individual parameter values.
When should I use URL encoding?
Use URL encoding whenever you include user input, special characters, or non-ASCII text in a URL — such as search queries, API parameters, redirect paths, or filenames in URLs.
More developer tools from Dev Brains AI
Try our Base64 Encoder / Decoder for binary-to-text encoding, our JSON Formatter for pretty-printing JSON, or the AI Regex Generator to build regex patterns from plain English.