About the URL Encoder & Decoder
Tezmy's URL Encoder & Decoder converts text into a web-safe form (so spaces become %20 and & becomes %26) and turns encoded URLs back into readable text. Choose “Text / query value” to encode a single value, or “Whole URL” to keep characters like / ? and & working. When you paste a web address, the tool also splits it into protocol, host, port, path, fragment and a neat table of every query parameter, which is useful for debugging links, tracking parameters and API calls.
Updated October 2026
How to use the URL Encoder & Decoder
- 1Choose Encode or Decode.
- 2Paste your text or URL.
- 3Copy the result, or press Swap to go the other way.
- 4Check the URL parts table to inspect query parameters.
Why URLs need encoding
URLs can only contain a limited set of characters. Spaces, accents, emoji and symbols like & or ? inside a value must be encoded as % codes, so a space becomes %20 and é becomes %C3%A9. Without encoding, links break or send the wrong data.
Value or whole URL?
- Text / query value: encodes everything, including / ? & and =. Use it for one parameter value, like a search term.
- Whole URL: keeps the characters that give a URL its structure, and only encodes unsafe ones like spaces.
Understand any link
Paste a long link to see it split into protocol, host, port, path and fragment, with a table of every query parameter. It's a quick way to spot tracking parameters like utm_source, check what an affiliate link contains, or debug an API call.
Decoding tips
Encoded text in URLs sometimes uses + for spaces (from HTML forms), so + is turned into a space when decoding. If you see a broken % code error, part of the text was cut off or wasn't properly encoded to begin with. Everything runs in your own browser, so your data is never uploaded, and it works on phones, tablets and computers with nothing to install.
Encode and decode on any device
Everything runs in your own browser, so nothing you paste is uploaded or logged. It works on phones, tablets and computers with nothing to install, and there's no sign-up. Special characters are common in web work. If you are stuck on how binary data is stored, the Base64 Encoder & Decoder helps, the Slug Generator makes readable addresses from titles, and the Meta Tag Generator completes the tags of the page you are linking.
Features
- Encode single values or whole URLs
- Decode with + treated as a space
- Full Unicode support
- URL breakdown with query parameters
- Clear errors for broken % codes
- Runs in your browser
Frequently asked questions
What is URL encoding?
URL encoding (percent encoding) replaces characters that aren't allowed or have special meaning in web addresses with a % followed by two hex digits. A space becomes %20 and é becomes %C3%A9.
Which option should I use to encode?
Use “Text / query value” for a piece of text that goes inside a URL, like a search term. Use “Whole URL” for a complete address, so characters like / ? & = stay as they are.
Why does + become a space when decoding?
In web forms and query strings, spaces are often sent as +. Decoding them as spaces gives you the text people actually typed.
What causes a “broken % code” error?
Every % must be followed by two hexadecimal digits. A lone % or something like %G1 can't be decoded. Encode a literal % as %25.
Is my data sent anywhere?
No. Encoding, decoding and parsing all happen in your browser.
What does %20 mean in a URL?
It's an encoded space. %20 is the code for a space character in URLs.
How do I remove tracking parameters from a link?
Paste the link to see its parameters, then delete the utm_ and similar parts from the address before sharing.
Is it free?
Yes, free with no sign-up.