What is URL encoding?
URL encoding (also called percent-encoding) converts special characters into a safe format for URLs.
For example, a space becomes %20 (or sometimes + in query strings).
What’s the difference between %20 and +?
%20 is the standard encoding for spaces in URLs. In many web forms and query strings,
spaces are encoded as +. If you’re decoding query parameters, keep + as space enabled.
When should I use “Encode all (RFC3986)”?
Some systems prefer stricter encoding where characters like ! ' ( ) *
are also encoded. Enable Encode all if you need fully RFC3986-style output.
Why does URL decoding sometimes fail?
A URL can contain malformed percent sequences (like %ZZ) or incomplete escapes (like a trailing %).
This tool tries to give a clear error if the input is not valid percent-encoding.
Related tools
URL encoding is often used together with Base64 decode/encode and UUID generator. If you work with API payloads, you may also like JSON Formatter.