URL Decode

Decode percent-encoded URL strings to plain text — paste, decode, and copy instantly.

Input URL Encoded
Output Text
Decoded text will appear here...
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About URL Decode

URL Decode is a free online tool that converts percent-encoded URL strings back into human-readable plain text. When a URL contains sequences like %20 for a space, %26 for an ampersand, or multi-byte sequences like %C3%A9 for an accented letter, this tool reverses that encoding in one click and shows you the original characters. It handles both simple ASCII escapes and complex Unicode sequences encoded as UTF-8 percent-triplets.

The tool exposes two decoding modes so you can choose the right behaviour for your input. Component mode (decodeURIComponent) decodes every percent-encoded sequence, including URL-reserved characters such as ?, &, =, and #. This is the right mode when you are reading a single query-parameter value or a URL fragment. Full URI mode (decodeURI) leaves those reserved structural characters encoded and decodes only the non-structural ones, making it safe to decode a complete URL without breaking its syntax. Knowing which mode to pick prevents common bugs where a decoded ampersand splits a query string at the wrong place.

Every decoding operation runs entirely inside your browser using the native JavaScript decodeURIComponent and decodeURI functions. No text is transmitted to any server, so confidential endpoint paths, API keys embedded in query strings, and internal service URLs never leave your machine. There is no rate limit, no account, and no charge.

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Key Features

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Two dedicated decoding modes

Component mode decodes all percent-encoded sequences; Full URI mode preserves structural characters like & and ? so a complete URL stays navigable after decoding.

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100% client-side processing

Decoding uses the browser's native decodeURIComponent and decodeURI functions. Nothing is uploaded, so sensitive query strings and internal URLs stay private.

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Full Unicode support

Multi-byte UTF-8 sequences such as %E2%82%AC (€) and %C3%A9 (é) are decoded to their correct Unicode characters, not garbled Latin-1 approximations.

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Clear error reporting

Malformed sequences like a bare % or an invalid hex pair (%GG) produce a descriptive error message instead of silently producing wrong output.

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Monospace side-by-side view

Input and output panels sit side by side in a fixed-height monospace layout, making it easy to scan and spot exactly which characters changed.

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One-click copy

A copy button grabs the decoded output to your clipboard so you can paste it straight into your code, terminal, or document.

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How to Use

01

Paste Encoded URL

Paste your percent-encoded URL or string into the input pane.

02

Select Mode

Choose Component mode for values or Full URI mode for complete URLs.

03

Decode & Copy

Click "Decode" to convert to readable text, then copy the result.

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Example

A URL-encoded query string with spaces, an accented character, and a special symbol is decoded to its original readable form using Component mode.

URL-encoded input
name=Caf%C3%A9%20au%20Lait&note=price%3A%20%E2%82%AC4.50&tags%5B%5D=hot%20drinks
Decoded output
name=Café au Lait&note=price: €4.50&tags[]=hot drinks
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Common Use Cases

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    Reading query parameters from server logs

    Access and error logs record URLs in their raw percent-encoded form. Paste a log line here to read the actual search terms, filter values, or IDs that a user sent — without writing a one-off script.

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    Debugging API and webhook payloads

    REST APIs and webhooks often percent-encode field values. Decode an individual parameter value in Component mode to confirm it contains the correct text before tracing bugs further up the stack.

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    Inspecting OAuth and SSO redirect URLs

    OAuth flows pass state tokens and redirect URIs as encoded query parameters. Decoding them reveals the exact values exchanged during an authentication handshake.

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    Recovering readable file and folder paths

    File paths in browser URLs encode spaces and special characters. Use Full URI mode to decode an entire path while keeping the slash separators intact.

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    Translating encoded form submissions

    HTML forms submitted with application/x-www-form-urlencoded produce percent-encoded bodies. Paste the raw body here to read the field names and values as the server receives them.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is URL Decode? expand_more
URL Decode is a free online tool that reverses percent-encoding in URLs. It converts encoded sequences like %20 back to spaces, %26 back to ampersands, and multi-byte sequences like %C3%A9 back to their original Unicode characters such as e with accent.
What is the difference between Component and Full URI mode? expand_more
Component mode (decodeURIComponent) decodes all percent-encoded sequences. Full URI mode (decodeURI) preserves URL-reserved characters like %23 (#) and %26 (&) in their encoded form, keeping the URL structure navigable. Use Component for individual values, Full URI for complete URLs.
Is my data secure? expand_more
Yes. All decoding happens entirely in your browser using native JavaScript functions. No data is sent to any server, ensuring your URLs and data remain completely private.
What if my encoded string is malformed? expand_more
If the input contains invalid percent-encoded sequences (like %GG or a lone % without two hex digits), the tool will display a clear error message. You can fix the input and try again.
How is URL Decode different from URL Encode? expand_more
URL Encode converts plain text into a percent-encoded string safe for use in a URL. URL Decode does the reverse: it converts an existing percent-encoded string back to plain text. If you need to prepare a value for insertion into a URL, use URL Encode instead.
How is this different from HTML Decode? expand_more
HTML Decode converts HTML entity references such as & and < back into their literal characters. URL Decode converts percent-encoded sequences like %26 and %3C back into their characters. The two formats are different: percent-encoding is defined by RFC 3986 for URIs, while HTML entities are defined by the HTML specification. Use this tool for URL strings and HTML Decode for HTML markup.
How is this different from Base64 Decode? expand_more
Base64 encoding represents arbitrary binary data using a 64-character alphabet of letters, digits, + and /, often seen in data URIs or Authorization headers. Percent-encoding represents individual characters using %XX hex sequences and is specific to URLs. If your string looks like aGVsbG8= it is Base64; if it contains %XX sequences it is percent-encoded. Use Base64 Decode for the first case and this tool for the second.
Can it decode an entire URL including the path and query string? expand_more
Yes. Switch to Full URI mode, which uses decodeURI. This decodes all non-structural characters while leaving the characters that give a URL its meaning (/, ?, &, =, #) in their encoded form so the structure is preserved.