URL Decode
Paste a percent-encoded string below to decode it back to readable text. The opposite operation is also generated at once, below.
Results from this calculator are estimates provided for general informational purposes only, based on formulas, rates, and standards commonly accepted as of 2026. Figures may differ slightly from other calculators or professional sources due to rounding methods, differing assumptions, or regional regulations, and rules may change over time. Always consult a qualified professional — such as a financial advisor, healthcare provider, or other relevant specialist — before making decisions based on these results.
URL Decode
https://example.com/search?q=café münster & co.
Input size
77 bytes
Output size
49 bytes
Byte-size comparison
Both directions
https%253A%252F%252Fexample.com%252Fsearch%253Fq%253Dcaf%25C3%25A9%2520m%25C3%25BCnster%2520%2526%2520co.
https://example.com/search?q=café münster & co.
About These Parameters
- Text / Encoded string
- The single input field drives both directions at once — if it's plain text, the Encode card shows the meaningful result; if it's a percent-encoded string, the Decode card does. It can be a word, a URL query value, or a full query string.
- Mode
- Each card shows one direction — Encode or Decode — applied to the same input. Click a card's name to open its dedicated page, prefilled with an example for that direction.
How URL Encoding Works
Percent-Encoding, Byte by Byte
A URL is only guaranteed to safely carry a limited set of ASCII characters — letters, digits,
and a handful of punctuation marks (- _ . ~). Every other character, including
spaces and non-ASCII letters like "é" or "ü", is converted to its UTF-8 byte representation,
and each of those bytes is written as % followed by its two-digit hexadecimal
value. A space becomes %20, "&" becomes %26, and "é" (which is
two bytes in UTF-8) becomes %C3%A9.
Reserved Characters
Characters like &, =, ?, and / are
"reserved" because they already have a structural meaning in a URL — ? starts the
query string, & separates parameters, and = separates a
parameter's name from its value. Encoding these characters when they appear inside a
parameter's actual value (rather than as URL structure) keeps them from being misread as
delimiters.
Where URL Encoding Is Used
This is the same encoding JavaScript's encodeURIComponent and most programming
languages' "URL encode" functions perform. It shows up constantly in search query strings
(?q=hello%20world), form submissions, API request parameters, and any time a
piece of user-typed text — which might contain spaces or symbols — needs to travel safely
inside a URL.
Component Encoding vs. Full URL Encoding
This tool encodes every reserved character it sees, matching encodeURIComponent —
the right choice when encoding a single value (like a search term) that will be inserted into
a URL. Encoding an entire, already-structured URL (with its own ://, ?,
and & characters) the same way would break it, since those characters need to
stay literal to keep the URL's structure intact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a space become "%20" and not "+"?
"%20" is the standard percent-encoding for a space, used everywhere in a URL. A literal "+" is a legacy convention specific to the application/x-www-form-urlencoded format used by HTML form submissions — this tool uses the more universal "%20" form, matching encodeURIComponent.
Why is the encoded text so much longer?
Every byte that needs encoding turns into three characters ("%" plus two hex digits), so text with many spaces, symbols, or non-ASCII characters can triple in length or more. Plain letters, digits, and "- _ . ~" are left unchanged.
Should I encode an entire URL with this tool?
No — encode only the individual values (query parameters, path segments) you're inserting into a URL, not the whole URL at once. Encoding a complete URL would also escape its "://", "?", and "&" structural characters and break it.