URL Decoder Online
Decode percent-encoded URLs back to readable text. Converts %20 to spaces, %26 to &, and all other percent-encoded sequences to their original characters.
URL Encoder & Decoder
Encode and decode URL components or full URIs. Fast, private, and free.
Quick Reference
Component mode uses encodeURIComponent / decodeURIComponent — encodes everything except A-Z a-z 0-9 - _ . ~ ! * ' ( ). Best for query parameter values and path segments.
Full URI mode uses encodeURI / decodeURI — preserves URL structure characters like : / ? # [ ] @ ! $ & ' ( ) * + , ; =. Best for encoding an entire URL while keeping its structure intact.
How URL decoding works
URL decoding reverses percent-encoding: each %XX sequence is replaced with the character whose ASCII/UTF-8 value matches the hex digits XX. For example, %20 → space (ASCII 32), %26 → & (ASCII 38), %C3%A9 → é (UTF-8 two-byte sequence). The + character is also decoded to space in query string context.
Common encoded characters
Frequently seen encodings: %20 (space), %21 (!), %23 (#), %24 ($), %25 (%), %26 (&), %2B (+), %2F (/), %3A (:), %3D (=), %3F (?), %40 (@). Double-encoded URLs (e.g., %2520 for space) indicate the URL was encoded twice and needs to be decoded twice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does %20 mean in a URL?
% 20 is the percent-encoded representation of a space character. URLs cannot contain literal spaces, so they are encoded as %20 (or + in query strings).
Why is my URL double-encoded?
Double encoding (e.g., %2520 instead of %20) happens when an already-encoded URL is encoded again. This is a common bug — ensure you only encode raw values, not already-encoded strings.