URL Encoder / Decoder: Safely Share and Clean Your Links

Last updated: 2025-09-09

The URL Encoder / Decoder on newsbrio.net converts special characters to safe percent-encoding (and reverses them) so your links work in browsers, messaging apps, analytics tools, and ad platforms—without breaking.

Why correct encoding matters

• Prevents broken links: Spaces, ampersands, and non-Latin characters can corrupt a URL if they aren’t encoded properly.
• Accurate analytics: Properly encoded UTM parameters keep your GA/Ads reports clean and reliable.
• Reliable sharing: Email and chat apps often truncate or rewrite unsafe characters; encoding keeps links intact.

What gets encoded?

Percent-encoding turns unsafe characters into %HH bytes using UTF-8. Common examples:

Character	Encoded	Notes
space	%20	Sometimes + in form bodies
&	%26	Separates query parameters
?	%3F	Encode only inside values
#	%23	Fragment marker—encode inside values
=	%3D	Key/value separator—encode in values
non-ASCII (e.g., café)	caf%C3%A9	UTF-8 bytes

How to use the URL Encoder / Decoder

1. Open: /?r=tool/url-encoder.
2. Paste a full URL or just a parameter value.
3. Click Encode to make it safe, or Decode to read a percent-encoded string.
4. Copy the result and use it in your CMS, ad platform, or spreadsheet.

Practical examples

Encode a parameter value:

value:  spring sale & 20% off
encoded: spring%20sale%20%26%2020%25%20off
URL: https://newsbrio.net/?r=blog&utm_content=spring%20sale%20%26%2020%25%20off

Decode a messy link:

https://example.com/?q=clean%20urls%20%26%20encoding
→ "clean urls & encoding"

Common pitfalls

• Double encoding: Encoding an already encoded string turns % into %25. If a link looks like %2520, decode twice.
• Encoding the whole URL blindly: Paths and query structure (:/?&=) should stay readable; encode primarily the values.
• Mixing HTML entities with URL encoding: & is an HTML entity, not URL encoding. Inside URLs use %26 instead.

Workflow tips

• Marketing & UTM: Build links with the UTM Builder, then verify in URL Encoder.
• Spreadsheets: Store raw values in cells and apply encoding only on export or before pasting.
• International content: Ensure your source is UTF-8 so non-Latin characters convert correctly.

FAQs

Does the tool store my links?
No. Everything runs locally in your browser.

Should I encode values only or the entire URL?
Prefer encoding parameter values; encoding the entire URL is valid but less readable.

How do I fix a twice-encoded URL?
Use Decode repeatedly until it returns to a single-encoded or plain form.

Related tools

• UTM Builder — create trackable campaign links
• Slugify — generate clean URL paths
• JSON Formatter — tidy up API payloads for docs