What is URL encoding?

URL encoding, also called percent-encoding, replaces characters that are not allowed or have a special meaning in a URL with a % followed by two hexadecimal digits. A space becomes %20 and an ampersand becomes %26.

When do I need to encode text for a URL?

Whenever you put text into part of a URL, such as a search term in a query string, a redirect address in a parameter or a file name in a path. Without encoding, characters like & and # would end the value early.

Should I encode a whole URL?

Usually not. Encode each value you put into the URL, not the whole address. Encoding a full URL also encodes the :, / and ? that hold it together, which you only want when the whole URL is itself a parameter of another URL.

Why are plus signs decoded as spaces?

HTML forms send spaces in query strings as +, so most decoders read + as a space. A real plus sign is encoded as %2B, which decodes to +.

Why does decoding fail?

The text has a % that is not followed by two hexadecimal digits, or a sequence of bytes that is not valid UTF-8 text. This often happens when a URL was cut off in the middle of an encoded character.

Is my text sent anywhere?

No. Encoding and decoding run in your browser, and nothing you paste is sent to Fast Note.

URL encoder and decoder

Percent-encode text for a URL, or decode an encoded link, as you type.

Encode

Decode

Input

Result

Make any text safe to put in a link

Paste a search term, a redirect address or any other value and get it percent-encoded for a URL, or paste an encoded link to read it. The result updates as you type, and nothing leaves your browser.

Encode and decode

Encode text so it is safe to put in a URL, or decode a percent-encoded link back to readable text. Swap sends the result back to the input.

Every reserved character handled

Spaces, &, ?, =, /, # and every other character with a special meaning in a URL are percent-encoded, so a value never breaks the query string it goes into.

Any language and emoji

Text is encoded as UTF-8, the standard for URLs, so accented letters, other alphabets and emoji are encoded and decoded correctly.

Plus signs read as spaces

When decoding, + is read as a space, the way HTML forms and most query strings send spaces, while %2B still decodes to a plus sign.

Broken encoding flagged

If a % is not followed by two hexadecimal digits, or the bytes do not form valid text, you get a clear message instead of a half decoded result.

Runs in your browser

Encoding and decoding happen on your device, so links with tokens or personal data are never sent to Fast Note.

Need Base64 in a URL instead? Use the Base64 encoder with URL-safe on.

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