URL Encode / Decode — encodeURIComponent · encodeURI · RFC 3986
encodeURIComponent · encodeURI · RFC 3986 — Query Params Table · URL Builder · Batch Mode — 100% browser-side
Paste text → get encoded URL
Real-time · 200ms debounce · No button click needed
URL encoding converts special characters into %XX format so they can be safely transmitted in URLs. This tool supports three modes — encodeURIComponent for query param values, encodeURI for full URLs, and RFC 3986 for OAuth and API auth headers. Paste any URL or text and get the result instantly, 100% in your browser.
What is URL Encoding?
URL encoding (percent encoding) converts special characters into a % followed by two hex digits. For example, a space becomes %20, & becomes %26, and / becomes %2F. This ensures URLs remain valid across all browsers, servers, and APIs regardless of the special characters they contain.
encodeURIComponent vs encodeURI vs RFC 3986
encodeURIComponent is the safest choice for encoding individual query parameter values — it encodes everything except A-Z a-z 0-9 - _ . ! ~ * ' ( ). encodeURI is designed for full URLs and preserves characters like : / ? # [ ] . RFC 3986 is the strictest standard — also encoding ! ' ( ) * — recommended for OAuth signatures and API authentication headers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is URL encoding?
URL encoding converts special characters like spaces, &, /, ? into %XX format. A space becomes %20, & becomes %26. This ensures URLs work correctly across all browsers and servers.
When should I use encodeURIComponent vs encodeURI?
Use encodeURIComponent for individual query parameter values — it encodes almost everything. Use encodeURI for full URLs — it preserves :, /, ?, # so the URL structure stays intact.
What is RFC 3986 encoding?
RFC 3986 is stricter than encodeURIComponent — it also encodes !, ', (, ), * characters. Use it for OAuth signatures, HMAC signing, and security-sensitive API authentication.
Why does my URL have %20 instead of +?
%20 is the correct percent encoding for space in modern REST APIs. The + sign for spaces is a legacy HTML form format (application/x-www-form-urlencoded). This tool uses %20 by default.
Is this tool safe for sensitive URLs?
Yes. All processing happens 100% in your browser — nothing is sent to any server. The security warning banner alerts you if your input contains emails or tokens.