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URL Encoder & Decoder

Encode or decode URLs and query strings with percent-encoding. Shows URL parts and query parameters. Free, instant and private – runs in your browser.

  1. Upload
  2. Options
  3. Download

How to: URL Encode & Decode

  1. Paste a URL or text.
  2. Choose encode, encode full URL or decode.
  3. Copy the result.

URLs may only contain a limited set of ASCII characters. Spaces, accented letters, emoji and symbols such as & or # must be percent-encoded, otherwise links break or parameters are misread. This tool encodes and decodes text using the same rules as browsers and shows each part of a URL, including every query parameter.

Common uses

Tips for best results

Percent-encoding explained

Each unsafe byte is written as % followed by two hexadecimal digits. Text is first converted to UTF-8, so “café” becomes caf%C3%A9 and “東京” becomes %E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC. Letters, digits and - _ . ~ are never encoded. Reserved characters such as : / ? # [ ] @ ! $ & ' ( ) * + , ; = have special meaning and must be encoded when used as data.

Internationalised links

Modern browsers display Unicode in the address bar, but the underlying request always uses percent-encoded paths and Punycode for domain names. When you share links in emails, documents or QR codes, the encoded form is the most reliable and works with every app and device.

Why use FreePDF for URL Encode & Decode?

FreePDFTypical upload-based sites
What you type is sent to a serverNo – stays in your browserOften
Sign-up requiredNeverOften for bigger jobs
Hourly / daily task limitsNoneCommon on free plans
Works offline after loadingYes, for most toolsNo

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between encoding a component and a full URL

Component encoding escapes every reserved character, including / ? & =, and is used for single query values. Full-URL encoding keeps those characters so the URL structure stays intact.

Why do spaces become %20 or +

%20 is the standard for URLs; + means a space only in HTML form data (application/x-www-form-urlencoded).

Is URL Encode & Decode really free?

Yes. Every tool on FreePDF is 100% free with no file limits, no sign-up and no watermarks. The site is supported by unobtrusive ads.

Are my files uploaded to a server?

No. FreePDF processes your files directly in your browser using JavaScript. Your documents never leave your device, so they stay completely private.

Does it work on mobile?

Yes. FreePDF works in any modern browser on Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Mac and Linux.

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