🔗 What is URL Encoding?
URL encoding (also called percent encoding) converts characters into a format that can be safely transmitted over the internet. URLs can only contain a limited set of ASCII characters - letters, digits, and a few special symbols. Any character outside this set (spaces, non-English letters, symbols like &, #, ?, =) must be encoded using percent notation (%XX) where XX represents the character's hexadecimal code.
For example, a space is encoded as %20, an ampersand (&) becomes %26, and a question mark (?) becomes %3F. This encoding ensures URLs work correctly across all systems, browsers, and protocols without breaking or losing data.
🎯 How to Use the URL Encoder
- Choose operation: Select "Encode" or "Decode" mode.
- Enter your URL or text: Paste the URL or query string you want to encode/decode.
- View instant results: The output appears immediately as you type.
- Copy the result: Use the copy button to copy the encoded/decoded output.
- Test with examples: Try encoding spaces, special characters, or full URLs.
🎯 Common Use Cases
🔍 Search Query Parameters
Encode search terms and filter values in URLs. Convert "search for this" to "search%20for%20this" for proper URL formatting in web applications and search engines.
🌐 API Requests
Prepare query strings for REST API calls. Encode parameters with special characters to ensure HTTP requests are properly formatted and parsed by servers.
📧 Email Links (mailto:)
Create mailto links with subjects and bodies containing spaces or special characters. Encode the subject and message text for functional email links.
🔐 OAuth & Authentication
Encode redirect URLs, callback URLs, and authentication parameters that contain special characters required by OAuth flows and SSO systems.
📊 Analytics & Tracking
Build tracking URLs with campaign parameters (UTM codes) that include spaces, symbols, or non-ASCII characters for marketing analytics.
🌍 International URLs
Encode URLs containing international characters (Chinese, Arabic, emoji) for compatibility with servers and browsers that expect ASCII-only URLs.
🔍 Character Encoding Examples
| Character | Encoded | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Space | %20 | Most common encoded character |
| & | %26 | Separates query parameters |
| = | %3D | Assigns parameter values |
| ? | %3F | Starts query string |
| # | %23 | Fragment identifier |
| / | %2F | Path separator |
| : | %3A | Protocol separator |
| @ | %40 | Username separator |
💡 Encoding Methods Explained
encodeURIComponent
Encodes all special characters except: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, -, _, ., !, ~, *, ', (, )
Use for: Individual query parameters, form data, any user input in URLs
encodeURI
Preserves URL structure symbols like /, ?, &, =, :, @
Use for: Complete URLs while keeping their structure intact
This tool uses encodeURIComponent for maximum safety and compatibility. It encodes everything that might cause issues in URLs.
🔒 Privacy & Security
All URL encoding and decoding happens entirely in your browser. Your URLs, query parameters, and data never leave your device - no server processing, no logging, complete privacy. URL encoding doesn't provide security or hide data - anyone can decode encoded URLs. Never put sensitive data (passwords, secrets) directly in URLs. Use HTTPS and proper authentication methods instead. ToolZone itself does not track, save, or transmit any of your data.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
When should I use URL encoding? ▼
Encode URLs whenever you include user input, special characters, or non-ASCII text in URL parameters, query strings, or path segments. This ensures the URL remains valid and functional across all systems and browsers.
What's the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent? ▼
encodeURIComponent encodes all special characters (use for individual parameters). encodeURI preserves URL structure like /, ?, & (use for complete URLs). This tool uses encodeURIComponent for maximum safety.
Why do I see %20 instead of + for spaces? ▼
Both are valid - + is older (from HTML forms), %20 is standard URL encoding. Modern web development prefers %20 for consistency. This tool uses %20 for standard percent encoding.
Can I encode an entire URL at once? ▼
Yes, but be careful with the protocol (https://) and structure symbols. For complete URLs, you typically only encode the query parameter values, not the whole URL structure.
How do I fix double-encoded URLs? ▼
Double encoding happens when you encode already-encoded URLs (%2520 instead of %20). Always decode before re-encoding. If you see %25, that's a double-encoded % character.
Are international characters supported? ▼
Yes! Non-ASCII characters (é, ñ, 中) are encoded as UTF-8 bytes, resulting in multiple % sequences. For example, é becomes %C3%A9. The tool handles all Unicode characters correctly.