What is the difference between URL encoding and Base64 encoding?

URL encoding (percent-encoding) replaces unsafe characters with a % followed by two hex digits so they can be safely included in a URL. Base64 encoding converts binary data to ASCII text for transmission over text-based protocols. Use URL encoding for query parameters and path segments; use Base64 for embedding binary data in JSON or HTML.

When should I use encodeURIComponent vs encodeURI?

Use encodeURIComponent when encoding a single query parameter value — it encodes characters like &, =, and / that have special meaning in URLs. Use encodeURI when encoding a full URL — it leaves the structural characters (://?&=) intact. This tool applies encodeURIComponent-style encoding by default.

How do I decode a URL-encoded string?

Switch the mode toggle to Decode, paste your percent-encoded string into the input field, and the decoded output appears instantly. The tool handles both standard and URL-safe encoded strings.

, `&`, `\\'`, `(`, `)`, `*`, `+`, `,`, `;`, `=`) need encoding when they appear in data, not as URL syntax. Spaces become `%20` (or `+` in form-encoded query strings). Non-ASCII characters are encoded as their UTF-8 byte sequence — `é` becomes `%C3%A9`."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is this the same as percent-encoding?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. URL encoding and percent-encoding are the same thing — RFC 3986 calls it percent-encoding because every encoded byte starts with `%`. The term 'URL encoding' is just the common name developers use. There's a closely related variant called `application/x-www-form-urlencoded` that encodes spaces as `+` instead of `%20`; it's used in HTML form submissions and query strings."}}]}

URL Encoder / Decoder

Encode/decode strings, edit query parameters in a table, or parse any URL into its components.

Raw String / URL

Encoded Output

About the URL Encoder / Decoder

Three tools in one: Encode/Decode raw strings using encodeURIComponent /decodeURIComponent. Param Builder lets you construct query strings in a spreadsheet-like table with OAuth 2.0 presets for quick scaffolding. URL Parser breaks any absolute URL into protocol, origin, hostname, port, path, hash, and individual query parameters. Everything is 100% client-side.

About URL Encoder / Decoder

A percent-encoder for URLs and URL components. Paste raw text to encode it, or paste an encoded string to decode it back. The tool handles UTF-8 correctly, so non-ASCII characters round-trip through their byte sequences without corruption. Useful any time you need to put data into a URL — query parameters, path segments, fragments, or full URLs assembled from pieces.

What this tool does

Encode — converts characters outside the unreserved set into %XX percent-escapes using UTF-8.
Decode — turns %XX sequences back into the original characters, including multi-byte UTF-8.
Component vs full-URL mode — toggle between encodeURIComponent (encodes everything reserved) and encodeURI (preserves URL structure).
Form-encoded variant — option to encode spaces as + for application/x-www-form-urlencoded bodies.

When does URL encoding matter?

Any time a value containing reserved characters travels through a URL. A search term cats & dogs becomes cats%20%26%20dogs as a query parameter — without encoding, the unescaped & would be read as a parameter delimiter and the value would be cut off. The same applies to redirect URLs (the ?, #, and = in the target need encoding before being placed in a ?return= parameter), file names in download links (spaces, brackets, accented characters), and OAuth state parameters that carry JSON. If you're seeing a request truncated, parsed as the wrong path, or rejected with a 400, missing percent-encoding is usually the cause.

Pipeline

Output from this tool can be sent directly to:

Base64 Encoder / Decoder — wrap binary or already-encoded text for transport in URLs that disallow percent characters.
Query String Builder — assemble a full ?key=value&... string from parsed pairs once individual values are encoded.

Privacy

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Frequently asked

What's the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?: `encodeURI` is meant for whole URLs and leaves reserved characters like `:`, `/`, `?`, `#`, and `&` alone so the URL still parses. `encodeURIComponent` is meant for individual values inside a URL (a query parameter, a path segment) and percent-encodes those reserved characters too. Use `encodeURIComponent` for any value you build into a URL string. The decode side is symmetric: `decodeURI` and `decodeURIComponent`.
What characters need encoding?: Anything outside the unreserved set: A–Z, a–z, 0–9, and the four marks `-`, `_`, `.`, `~`. Reserved characters (`:`, `/`, `?`, `#`, `[`, `]`, `@`, `!`, ` Dev Toolkit — 55+ Free Client-Side Developer Utilities
, `&`, `\'`, `(`, `)`, `*`, `+`, `,`, `;`, `=`) need encoding when they appear in data, not as URL syntax. Spaces become `%20` (or `+` in form-encoded query strings). Non-ASCII characters are encoded as their UTF-8 byte sequence — `é` becomes `%C3%A9`.
Is this the same as percent-encoding?: Yes. URL encoding and percent-encoding are the same thing — RFC 3986 calls it percent-encoding because every encoded byte starts with `%`. The term 'URL encoding' is just the common name developers use. There's a closely related variant called `application/x-www-form-urlencoded` that encodes spaces as `+` instead of `%20`; it's used in HTML form submissions and query strings.