Why do URLs need encoding?

URLs can only safely contain a limited set of characters. Spaces, accented letters, Korean and other non-Latin text, and symbols like &, ? and # have a special meaning or are not allowed as-is, so they need to be converted into a safe %XX format before they can be used inside a URL.

What are reserved characters?

Characters like &, =, ?, # and / already have a specific meaning in a URL — for example & separates query parameters. If your text contains one of these characters as plain data rather than as part of the URL structure, it needs to be encoded so it is not misread.

No. Encoding and decoding happen directly in your browser using the built-in encodeURIComponent and decodeURIComponent functions. Nothing is sent to Stay Local Tools servers.

URL Encoder & Decoder

Encode or decode text for safe use inside a URL.

Local Processing

Your input is processed in your browser.

Text

URL encoding converts special characters into a format that can be safely used in URLs.

Private by design

Your data is processed directly in your browser. It is not sent to Stay Local Tools servers for processing. Because the work happens on your device, nothing you type here leaves your browser unless you choose to copy or share it yourself.

Note: the website itself still loads normal web files, and may use analytics or ads later. The promise here is about the files and text you put into these tools.

How to Use

Choose Encode or Decode.
Enter your text.
Copy the result.

Why URLs need encoding

URL encoding converts special characters into a format that can be safely used in URLs. A URL can only contain a small set of plain characters directly — letters, digits, and a few symbols. Spaces, Korean and other non-Latin text, and many punctuation marks must be converted to a %XX form (a percent sign followed by two hex digits) before they can appear in a URL.

Reserved and special characters

Some characters, like &, =, ?, # and /, already control how a URL is structured — for example & separates one query parameter from the next. If a value you want to put in a URL happens to contain one of these characters, it needs to be encoded so the URL is not misread. This tool encodes a single piece of text (a "component"), which is the safe choice for values that will be placed inside a URL, such as a query parameter.

Questions and Answers

: URLs can only safely contain a limited set of characters. Spaces, accented letters, Korean and other non-Latin text, and symbols like &, ? and # have a special meaning or are not allowed as-is, so they need to be converted into a safe %XX format before they can be used inside a URL.
: Characters like &, =, ?, # and / already have a specific meaning in a URL — for example & separates query parameters. If your text contains one of these characters as plain data rather than as part of the URL structure, it needs to be encoded so it is not misread.
: No. Encoding and decoding happen directly in your browser using the built-in encodeURIComponent and decodeURIComponent functions. Nothing is sent to Stay Local Tools servers.

Other Languages

Español

Codificar y decodificar URL

Codifica o decodifica texto para usarlo de forma segura dentro de una URL. El texto se procesa directamente en tu navegador y no se sube a los servidores de Stay Local Tools para el procesamiento.

Preguntas frecuentes

: Las URL solo pueden contener de forma segura un conjunto limitado de caracteres. Espacios, letras acentuadas, coreano y símbolos como &, ? o # deben convertirse a un formato %XX seguro.
: Caracteres como &, =, ?, # o / ya tienen un significado específico en una URL, por ejemplo & separa parámetros. Si tu texto los usa como dato normal, deben codificarse.
: No. Codificar y decodificar ocurre directamente en tu navegador usando las funciones estándar del navegador. Nada se envía a los servidores de Stay Local Tools.

Português (Brasil)

Codificar e decodificar URL

Codifique ou decodifique texto para usar com segurança dentro de uma URL. O texto é processado diretamente no navegador e não é enviado aos servidores do Stay Local Tools para processamento.

Perguntas frequentes

: As URLs só podem conter com segurança um conjunto limitado de caracteres. Espaços, letras acentuadas, coreano e símbolos como &, ? ou # precisam virar um formato %XX seguro.
: Caracteres como &, =, ?, # ou / já têm um significado específico em uma URL, por exemplo & separa parâmetros. Se o seu texto usa esses caracteres como dado comum, eles precisam ser codificados.
: Não. Codificar e decodificar acontece diretamente no navegador usando as funções padrão do navegador. Nada é enviado aos servidores do Stay Local Tools.

한국어

URL 인코딩 디코딩

URL에서 안전하게 사용할 수 있도록 텍스트를 인코딩하거나 디코딩할 수 있습니다. 텍스트는 브라우저에서 직접 처리되며 Stay Local Tools 서버에 업로드되지 않습니다.

자주 묻는 질문

: URL에는 안전하게 사용할 수 있는 문자가 제한되어 있습니다. 공백, 악센트 문자, 한글, &, ?, # 같은 기호는 %XX 형식으로 바꿔야 합니다.
: &, =, ?, #, / 같은 문자는 URL에서 이미 특별한 의미를 가집니다. 예를 들어 &는 매개변수를 구분합니다. 이런 문자를 일반 데이터로 쓰려면 인코딩해야 합니다.
: 아니요. 인코딩과 디코딩은 브라우저 내장 기능을 사용해 직접 처리되며 Stay Local Tools 서버로는 아무것도 전송되지 않습니다.