What characters need to be encoded in a URL?

Reserved characters like !, *, ', (, ), and ; plus any character outside the unreserved set (letters, digits, -, _, ., ~) should be percent-encoded in URL components.

What is the difference between URL encoding and HTML entity encoding?

URL encoding uses % followed by hexadecimal values (%20 for space). HTML entities use & and semicolons ( for non-breaking space). Use URL encoding for URLs, HTML entities for web page content.

Why does encoding Chinese characters produce multiple % sequences?

Chinese characters require multiple bytes in UTF-8 encoding. Each byte is percent-encoded individually, so a single Chinese character becomes three percent-encoded sequences.

Can I decode a string that was encoded multiple times?

Yes, but you need to decode the same number of times it was encoded. Double-encoding (encoding an already encoded string) produces garbled output. Use the tool to check if a string has been encoded more than once.

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URL Encoder/Decoder

Name: URL Encoder/Decoder
Author: Zilita Team

Encode and decode URLs safely

Beginner3 min read

Introduction

URL Encoder/Decoder converts strings between plain text and percent-encoded format. It handles reserved characters, spaces, Unicode, and special symbols according to RFC 3986.

What the Tool Does

Paste a URL or text string and the tool encodes it into percent-encoded format (where spaces become %20, etc.) or decodes an encoded string back to readable text. It supports both URL encoding and HTML entity encoding.

Why It Is Useful

URLs containing spaces, Chinese characters, or special symbols must be percent-encoded before they work in HTTP requests. API integrations, web scraping, and form submissions all require correct encoding to function.

Who Should Use It

Developers

building APIs that accept user-generated content in URL parameters

Web Scrapers

encoding search queries before making HTTP requests

QA Testers

verifying that application handles encoded URLs correctly

Marketers

encoding UTM parameters that contain spaces or special characters

Features

Bidirectional encode and decode with one-click toggle
URL encoding (percent-encoding) per RFC 3986
HTML entity encoding for use in web content
UTF-8 support for international characters
Live preview showing both encoded and decoded states simultaneously

How to Use It

Paste your text or URL into the input field.
Select the encoding type — URL encoding for HTTP requests, HTML entities for web content.
The tool encodes or decodes in real time as you type, showing both states.
Copy the result using the copy button and paste it into your code or request.

Practical Examples

Encoding International Characters

A developer is building a weather API integration and needs to send a city name like 'São Paulo' as a query parameter. Encoding it produces 'S%C3%A3o%20Paulo', which the API accepts correctly.

Verifying Redirect URLs

A QA engineer tests whether a web application properly handles encoded redirect URLs. Decoding a complex encoded URL reveals the original path, helping verify that the application processes it correctly.

Benefits

Eliminates the most common source of broken API calls and 404 errors
Real-time preview lets you verify the encoding is correct before using it
UTF-8 support handles international characters that basic encoders miss
Dual encoding modes cover both HTTP and HTML use cases

Tips

Always encode user input before appending it to a URL — never trust that input is already safe
Use URL encoding for query parameters and path segments, not for the protocol or domain
If your encoded string looks wrong, check whether you are double-encoding by accident

Frequently Asked Questions

Spaces are not valid in URLs. The percent-encoding standard converts them to %20 (the hexadecimal representation of the space character's ASCII value) to represent them safely.

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About the Author

Zilita Team

Privacy-First Productivity & AI Experts

The Zilita Team builds privacy-first browser tools that help teachers, students, developers, businesses, and creators work more efficiently without sacrificing data privacy.

42 articles publishedLast updated: July 2026

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