FileFlipURL Encoder / Decoder

URL Encoder / Decoder

Encode, decode or parse URLs. Percent-encoding and URL components.

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How to Use

  • Select Encode, Decode or Parse
  • Paste your URL or text in the input box
  • The result updates automatically — copy or download

Related tools

Base64 Encoder & Decoder
JSON Formatter
Hash Generator

Frequently asked questions

What is URL encoding and why is it needed?
URL encoding (percent-encoding) turns special characters into a safe form for URLs. Spaces become %20, & becomes %26, and so on. It is needed because URLs can only use a limited set of characters. Without encoding, a space or quote in a query value could break the URL or be misinterpreted. This tool uses the standard encodeURIComponent so your links and API parameters work correctly.
What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?
encodeURI encodes a full URL but leaves : / ? # [ ] @ and similar intact so the URL structure is preserved. encodeURIComponent encodes everything except - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ), so it is suitable for a single query parameter value. This tool uses encodeURIComponent because it is the right choice when encoding one piece of text (e.g. a search term) to put inside a URL.
What characters are encoded in a URL?
Reserved characters like space, &, =, ?, /, # and non-ASCII characters are encoded as %XX where XX is the hex code. Letters, digits and a few symbols (- _ . ! ~ * ' ( )) stay as-is. The tool shows the full encoded result so you can paste it into links or API calls without errors.
How do I decode a URL with %20 and other percent-encoded characters?
Switch to Decode mode and paste the encoded string. The tool runs decodeURIComponent and shows the readable text. If you see 'Invalid encoding', the string may have a malformed % sequence (e.g. %2 or %zz). Fix or remove the bad part and try again.
What is a query string and how does URL parsing work?
The query string is the part after ? in a URL (e.g. ?q=hello&lang=it). Parse mode uses the browser's URL API to split the URL into protocol, host, path, query parameters and hash. Each parameter is listed as key and value. Use it to inspect or debug URLs and to see how parameters are structured.
Can I use this for encoding API parameters?
Yes. Put the raw parameter value (e.g. a search term or JSON string) in the input and use Encode. Paste the result into your URL after the parameter name and =. For multiple parameters, encode each value separately and join with &. Decode mode helps when you receive an encoded URL and need to see the original values.
What is the difference between URL encoding and Base64 encoding?
URL encoding is for making text safe inside a URL: each character may become %XX. Base64 turns binary or text into a block of A–Z, a–z, 0–9, + and /. Base64 is used for data URIs, tokens or binary-in-text, not for query strings. For URLs and query parameters use this encoder; for Base64 use a dedicated Base64 tool.
Why does my URL have + instead of %20?
In the application/x-www-form-urlencoded format (used in form submissions), spaces are often sent as +. In actual URLs, a space should be %20. This tool uses standard URL encoding, so spaces become %20. If you need to decode a string where + means space, some decoders replace + with space before decoding; this tool follows the strict decodeURIComponent behavior.