Bulk URL Decoder and Encoder

Use this tool to encode or decode multiple URLs at once. Enter each URL on a new line in the text area below, and click the appropriate button to see the results.


URL encoding converts characters into a format that can be transmitted over the Internet. Decoding reverses this process. This tool can handle multiple URLs at once, processing each line individually.

Why URLs Get Encoded and Decoded

URLs need to be encoded to ensure they can be transmitted over the internet without any issues. URL encoding replaces certain characters in a URL with one or more character triplets of the percent character “%” followed by two hexadecimal digits. These characters include spaces, special characters, and non-ASCII characters.

How URL Encoding and Decoding Works

According to the URL percent-encoding specification… 

  • URL Encoding:
    • URL encoding converts characters into a format that can be safely transmitted over the internet. Characters like spaces, quotes, and non-ASCII characters are replaced with a “%” followed by their ASCII hexadecimal value. For example, a space is encoded as “%20”.
  • URL Decoding:
    • URL decoding is the process of converting encoded characters back to their original form. For instance, “%20” is decoded back to a space. This ensures that web browsers and servers can interpret the data correctly.

What Happens if URLs Are Not Encoded

If URLs are not encoded, certain characters can cause problems:

  • Spaces: Spaces in URLs can be interpreted as delimiters, causing parts of the URL to be omitted or misinterpreted.
  • Special Characters: URLs use characters like “&” and “=” to delimit parameters. If not encoded, they can disrupt the query string.
  • Non-ASCII Characters: Characters outside the ASCII range might not be correctly transmitted or interpreted, leading to broken links or incorrect data.

Common URL Encoded Characters

CharacterEncoded Value
Space%20
!%21
“%22
#%23
$%24
%%25
&%26
‘%27
(%28
)%29
*%2A
+%2B
,%2C
/%2F
:%3A
;%3B
<%3C
=%3D
>%3E
?%3F
@%40
[%5B
\%5C
]%5D
^%5E
_%5F
`%60
{%7B
}%7D
~%7E

Importance of URL Encoding and Decoding

URL encoding and decoding are critical for maintaining the integrity and functionality of links across different platforms and devices. If URLs are not decoded, browsers cannot find the page or “resource” they represent. Special characters like spaces and symbols might cause errors, broken links, or misinterpreted data.

Use this tool to decode and encode URLs online, ensuring your web links are always correctly formatted and functional. 

Example: Encoding JSON in a URL

Some applications pass data along in the URL in the form of JSON. Here’s an example of a JSON object that describes a person.

{"name": "John Doe", "age": 30, "city": "New York"}

This is what the URL would look like if it were not encoded. (But as you can imagine, a browser could just cut off the JSON after the opening Curley brace.

https://example.com/api?data={"name": "John Doe", "age": 30, "city": "New York"}

This is what the encoded JSON looks like in the final URL.

https://example.com/api
?data=%7B%22name%22%3A%20%22John%20Doe%22%2C%20%22age%22%3A%2030%2C%20%22city%22%3A%20%22New%20York%22%7D

 

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