URL Encoder / Decoder

Percent-encode URL parameters or decode them. Toggle encodeURIComponent (full) vs encodeURI (URL-safe). Browser-side.

URL Encoder / Decoder percent-encodes characters that would break a URL — spaces, &, ?, =, #, non-ASCII — or decodes a percent-encoded string back to readable text. Pickrack exposes both encodeURIComponent (encodes everything reserved, for individual query values) and encodeURI (preserves /, ?, =, &, for whole URLs), so you can pick the right semantics for your use case.

Common pain point: a developer uses encodeURI when they need encodeURIComponent, then their & and = in query values get treated as separators. Pickrack shows both side-by-side in seconds so you don't ship a broken URL.

Free, no signup, browser-side. Input strings never leave your tab. Errors (e.g., malformed %XX sequences in decode mode) display inline with the failing position.

Key features

• Encode + Decode in one tool — Toggle between encoding and decoding. Swap button moves the output back to the input field.
• Two encoding methods — encodeURIComponent (default — encodes reserved chars including & = ? #) and encodeURI (preserves URL structure). Choose based on whether you're encoding a value or a whole URL.
• Live update — Type or paste — output recomputes instantly. No 'convert' button to click.
• Error reporting on decode — Malformed %XX sequences are caught and explained instead of silently corrupted.
• Character counters — Input and output character counts shown — useful for URL length budgets (browsers cap at ~2,000-8,000 chars depending on engine).

How to use

1. Step 1: Pick mode — Encode (text → percent-encoded) or Decode (percent-encoded → text).
2. Step 2: Pick method (encode only) — encodeURIComponent for individual query values; encodeURI for whole URLs.
3. Step 3: Paste your string — Output updates live. Use the Copy button to grab the result.

When to use

• Build a query string by hand — encode each value before joining with &
• Debug a malformed URL — paste the encoded version, see what it decodes to
• OAuth state / redirect_uri parameters — these MUST be encoded with encodeURIComponent or the auth flow breaks
• Pre-encode user search input before constructing a search URL
• Read someone else's encoded URL to understand what they're requesting
• Pre-encode JSON before putting it in a URL (rare but happens for some webhook signatures)

Frequently asked questions

Related tools