Free URL Decoder

Turn percent-encoded URLs back into readable text. Paste an encoded URL or query string — %20, %3A, and friends become real characters again — with proper UTF-8 handling so international characters decode correctly.

Decoded output


    

    

  



  
Private by design. This tool runs 100% in your browser — your code is never uploaded to any server.

  

    
How to Use the URL Decode

    
    
      
  1. Paste your percent-encoded URL or string.
    2. 
      
  2. Choose whether + means space (form encoding) or a literal plus.
    3. 
      
  3. Click Decode — the readable URL appears instantly.
    4. 
      
  4. Copy or download the result.
    5. 
    

  

  

    
Features

    
Decoding handles full UTF-8 sequences so encoded CJK, Arabic, and emoji decode to real characters instead of mojibake. A toggle controls the classic ambiguity of + (space in form encoding, literal plus in paths), malformed sequences produce a clear error naming the bad triplet, and multi-line batch mode decodes one URL per line.

    
Benefits & Use Cases

    
Developers read encoded URLs in logs and redirect chains; marketers decode UTM-laden links copied from analytics; anyone debugging OAuth callbacks inspects what was actually passed. Local decoding keeps internal URLs private.

    
Tips

    
If you see literal %25 in output, the input was double-encoded — decode twice. For query-string values specifically, enable “+ means space”; for full URL paths, disable it.

  

  

    
Frequently Asked Questions

    
What is URL encoding?
Percent-encoding replaces unsafe or non-ASCII characters in URLs with % followed by two hex digits (e.g. a space becomes %20). Decoding reverses the process to restore the original text.

    
Why are some characters encoded in URLs?
URLs may only contain a limited ASCII set. Spaces, unicode characters, and reserved symbols like ? & = must be encoded so they are not misinterpreted as URL structure.

    
Does + mean space or plus?
In application/x-www-form-urlencoded data (query strings from forms), + means space. In URL paths, + is a literal plus. This tool lets you choose the correct interpretation.

    
What causes a “malformed URI” error?
A % not followed by two valid hex digits, or a truncated UTF-8 sequence — usually from a cut-off copy-paste. Check the end of the string first.

    
Is my URL uploaded anywhere?
No. Decoding runs entirely in your browser — your URLs never leave your device.

  

  

    
Related Tools

    

      
URL Encode
Percent-encode URLs and text instantly with NToolHub’s free tool. Component or full-URL mode, UTF-8 safe — private in-browser.
Open tool →
      
Base64 Decode
Decode any Base64 string to readable text instantly with NToolHub’s free decoder. Full UTF-8 support and input validation — 100% private, runs in your browser.
Open tool →
      
.htaccess Generator
Build Apache .htaccess rules visually with NToolHub’s free generator. HTTPS, www, redirects, hotlink protection — copy-ready server config.
Open tool →
      
JWT Decoder
Decode JWT tokens instantly with NToolHub’s free decoder. Read header and payload, check expiry — signatures never leave your browser.
Open tool →