URL Decode
Decode percent-encoded URL strings to plain text — paste, decode, and copy instantly.
Decoded text will appear here...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.
Key Features
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
How to Use
Paste Encoded URL
Paste your percent-encoded URL or string into the input pane.
Select Mode
Choose Component mode for values or Full URI mode for complete URLs.
Decode & Copy
Click "Decode" to convert to readable text, then copy the result.
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.
name=Caf%C3%A9%20au%20Lait¬e=price%3A%20%E2%82%AC4.50&tags%5B%5D=hot%20drinks name=Café au Lait¬e=price: €4.50&tags[]=hot drinks 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.