URL Encode

Percent-encode text so it is safe to drop into a web address.

Runs in your browser — nothing is sent or saved.

How to URL encode text

  1. Type or paste your text in the left box.
  2. The encoded version appears on the right.
  3. If you are encoding a full link, tick the box to keep URL characters.
  4. Press Copy result.

Why URLs need encoding

A web address can only use a limited set of characters. Spaces, and signs like &, ?, #, and /, all have special jobs inside a URL. If your value holds one of those, it can break the link or change its meaning. URL encoding replaces each unsafe character with a percent sign and a code, so a space becomes %20 and an ampersand becomes %26. Now the value rides inside the URL without causing trouble.

Encode a value or a whole link

There are two modes. The default encodes a single value, such as a search term you are putting into a link. It replaces every special character, including the slash and question mark. Tick "Keep URL characters" to encode a whole address instead; that mode leaves :, /, ?, and & alone so the link still works, and only fixes spaces and other unsafe parts.

A common use

Say you build a search link and the term is "fish & chips". Dropped in raw, the & would cut the link in half. Encode the term first and it becomes fish%20%26%20chips, which stays in one piece inside the address.

FAQ

What does %20 mean?

It is the code for a space. URL encoding writes unsafe characters as a percent sign followed by two digits. A space is number 20 in that system.

Should I encode the whole URL or just one value?

Encode just the value you are adding, using the default mode. Encode the whole URL only when you need to fix an entire link at once, using the tick box.

Why is my slash turning into %2F?

The default mode encodes the slash too, because it is a special character. If you are encoding a full link and want to keep slashes, tick "Keep URL characters".

Does it change my words?

No. It only replaces unsafe characters with their codes. The letters and numbers stay the same.

Is my text private?

Yes. Encoding runs in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere.

What is percent encoding?

It is how browsers write special characters: a space becomes %20 and an ampersand becomes %26. Use the URL encoder before pasting text into a link. Trying to encode a URL by hand makes it easy to miss one character and break the address.