Picsova

URL Encode / Decode

Percent-encode text for safe use in URLs and query strings, or decode an encoded URL back to readable text. Handles full Unicode.

Runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.

Escape & unescape URL components

A URL can only carry a limited set of characters, so spaces, ampersands, slashes, and anything non-ASCII have to be percent-encoded before they go into a query string. Get it wrong and a parameter silently truncates at the first stray `&`. This tool encodes text for safe transport and decodes the `%20`-riddled result back into something a human can read, with full Unicode support in both directions.

How to URL-encode and decode text

  1. 1

    Pick encode or decode

    Switch direction depending on whether you are building a URL or reading one.

  2. 2

    Paste the text or URL

    The converted result appears live.

  3. 3

    Copy it out

    Take the safe encoded value, or the readable decoded one.

Good to know

  • Encoding a single query parameter value is different from encoding a whole URL: encode the value, not the `?` and `&` that separate parameters.
  • Spaces become `%20`; the `+` form is a form-encoding convention and is not interchangeable in every context.
  • Non-ASCII characters are encoded as UTF-8 byte sequences, which is what modern servers expect.
  • Everything runs locally, so URLs containing tokens or session identifiers stay in the page.

What people use it for

  • Building a query string containing a search phrase with spaces and symbols
  • Making a long encoded redirect or callback URL readable while debugging
  • Escaping a value before putting it into a link or an API call

Frequently asked questions

When should I URL-encode text?+

Whenever you put text into a URL query string or path that may contain spaces, &, ?, #, or non-ASCII characters.

Is my data sent to a server?+

No. Encoding URLs happens entirely in your browser using built-in web APIs. Nothing is uploaded, stored, or logged.

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