Developer Tools
Decode URL-Encoded Text
URL Decoder for encoding, decoding, parsing, or checking URLs.
Direct Answer
Use the URL Decoder when a URL contains percent codes like %20 or %2F and you need to read the original text or debug parameters.
When you need to decode a URL
Percent-encoded text becomes hard to read at a glance, and decoding restores the original values for inspection.
- Reading a query parameter value from a server access log
- Debugging a redirect URL that embeds another encoded URL
- Inspecting a webhook or form submission payload
- Checking what a tracking or campaign link actually points to
- Recovering readable text from an encoded API request or response
URL decoding limits
Decoding reveals literal characters; it does not evaluate the destination.
- Decoding a link does not confirm it is safe, legitimate, or free of malware
- It only reverses percent-encoding, it doesn't validate URL structure or domains
- Ambiguous cases like a plus sign can mean a literal plus or a space depending on context
- Decoding structural characters in a full URL can misrepresent how the URL actually parses
How to Use URL Decoder
- Paste or type your content into the input box.
- The transformed result appears instantly in the result panel below.
- Click Copy result to copy the output to your clipboard.
- Download .txt saves the transformed text as a file.
- Reset clears everything and lets you start over.
Reference
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Transform pasted text into a cleaner or different format. |
| Input | Text, lines, lists, or copied content. |
| Result | Transformed text ready to copy or download. |
| Best for | Cleanup, formatting, list preparation, and copy-paste workflows. |
| Category | Developer Tools |
| Works on | Desktop, tablet, and mobile browsers |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does percent-20 turn into a space?
Percent-20 is the standard percent-encoded representation of the space character in a URL, using the character's hexadecimal ASCII value after the percent sign. Decoding simply reverses that substitution back to a literal space.
What does a plus sign decode to, and why is it inconsistent?
In application/x-www-form-urlencoded query strings, a plus sign traditionally represents a space, but in strict URI decoding outside that context a plus is treated as a literal plus character. Which rule applies depends on where the encoded text came from, which is a common source of confusion.
Why does my decoded text show garbled or mojibake characters?
This usually happens when the percent-encoded bytes were produced using UTF-8 but are being interpreted with a different character encoding during decoding, or vice versa. The bytes decode correctly, but the wrong text encoding is applied when turning those bytes back into characters.
Why does decoding fail with a malformed sequence error?
This typically means a percent sign is followed by fewer than two hexadecimal digits, or by characters that aren't valid hex, such as a truncated percent code left over from copying only part of a URL.
Can decoding a link tell me if it's safe to click?
No. Decoding only reveals the literal text of the URL; it does not check the destination's reputation, scan for malware, or confirm the link is legitimate. Treat decoding as a way to read a URL, not as a safety check.
Why do I see percent-25 in an encoded URL?
Percent-25 is the encoded form of a literal percent sign, since the percent character itself has special meaning in percent-encoding. Decoding it returns a plain percent sign in the output.
Is it safe to decode a URL containing a session token or API key here?
The decoding happens locally in your browser, so the value isn't uploaded or logged by this tool. Still, treat any token or key you're inspecting as sensitive material regardless of which tool processes it.
Why does my decoded query string still show percent-2B or percent-2F?
Some values are intentionally double-encoded, so a second decoding pass is needed to fully reveal the original text. In other cases those codes are meant to be literal encoded characters within a value, such as an encoded slash inside a path segment passed as a parameter.