URL Encoder / Decoder
Percent-encode text for URLs — or decode it back
URL Encoder / Decoder — Complete Guide & Instructions
MakeCard URL Encoder / Decoder converts text to and from percent-encoding — the %20, %3D and %26 escapes URLs require. Encode mode offers two flavours: component mode encodes every reserved character (safe for query-string values) while full-URL mode keeps : / ? # intact for complete addresses. Decode mode reverses any percent-encoded string back to readable text, with a clear error for malformed escapes. Everything is instant, in-browser and one click to copy.
How to Use URL Encoder / Decoder
- 1 Pick a mode at the top — "Encode →" to escape text, or "← Decode" to unescape it.
- 2 In Encode mode, optionally tick "Full-URL mode" to keep : / ? # untouched for complete URLs.
- 3 Type or paste your text into the box — output appears live below as you type.
- 4 Click "⇅ Swap & continue" to feed the output back as input and flip the mode — handy for round-trip checks.
- 5 Press "Copy" to grab the result to your clipboard.
Key Features & Capabilities
- Two encode modes — encodeURIComponent for query values and encodeURI for full URLs.
- Full-URL mode toggle keeps scheme separators : / ? # readable.
- Decode reverses %XX escapes and + handling back to readable text.
- Malformed-input detection — warns when a % is not followed by valid hex digits.
- Swap & continue button chains encode → decode workflows.
- Live output on every keystroke with one-click copy.
Supported Formats & Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Encode (component) | encodeURIComponent — escapes all reserved chars |
| Encode (full URL) | encodeURI — keeps : / ? # & = intact |
| Decode | decodeURIComponent with escape validation |
| Output | Live — updates as you type |
| Clipboard | One-click copy of the result |
Practical Everyday Use Cases
- Encoding a search query or parameter value before adding it to a URL.
- Decoding a messy tracking or redirect URL to see the real destination.
- Escaping special characters like &, = and spaces in API request parameters.
- Debugging why a shared link breaks — often an unencoded & or # truncates it.
- Preparing UTM-tagged marketing links with readable parameters.
Pro Tips for Best Results
- Use component mode for values inside a query string — an & inside your text would otherwise split parameters.
- Use full-URL mode only on complete addresses; encoding a whole URL in component mode makes it unusable as a link.
- A + in a query string decodes to a space — encode real plus signs as %2B.
- Double-encoded text shows %25 — decode twice with "Swap & continue" if a link looks wrapped.
Common Problems & Solutions
The input contains a % not followed by two hex digits (or an incomplete UTF-8 sequence) — clean the stray % characters and retry.
You likely encoded a full URL in component mode — every : and / got escaped. Tick "Full-URL mode" or encode only the parameter value.
Both are valid: %20 is the standard escape; + is accepted only inside query strings. The tool uses the standards-compliant %20 form.
Privacy & Security
100% Client-Side Execution
Encoding and decoding happen locally in your browser using built-in JavaScript functions — nothing you paste is transmitted or logged.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about using URL Encoder / Decoder
URLs can only contain a limited character set — spaces, &, =, # and non-ASCII characters must be percent-encoded (e.g. space → %20) so servers and browsers parse the address correctly.
encodeURIComponent escapes everything including / ? & = — use it for a single parameter value. encodeURI leaves URL separators alone — use it on a complete address. This tool offers both modes.
Those are percent-escapes: %20 is a space and %3F is a question mark. They appear when special characters inside a URL were encoded — paste it here in Decode mode to read it.
Decoding itself is safe — it just shows the readable text. But always verify a decoded destination before clicking it; phishing links often hide behind encoding.
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