URL Decoder
Decode percent-encoded URL strings back to plain text.
- Reading time:
- 2 min
- Last updated:
- Price:
- Free, no signup
Type or paste text to see the result.
What the URL Decoder does
Turn a messy link like 'search?q=caf%C3%A9%20near%20me' back into something you can read: 'search?q=café near me'. Every %XX sequence is converted back to its real character.
It's the reverse of URL encoding, and it understands multi-byte sequences, so accented letters and non-Latin scripts reappear correctly.
Why the URL Decoder is useful
Tracking links, redirect parameters and analytics reports are full of percent-encoded text. Reading them raw is slow and error-prone, especially when a link has been encoded twice.
Marketers checking UTM tags and developers debugging redirects both need to see the real values hiding behind the percent signs.
Also known as: url decoder, percent decode, free url decoder, online url decoder, url decoder online free, url decoder tool, best url decoder tool.
How to use the URL Decoder
- 1
Paste the link or parameter
A whole URL works, or just the encoded part after '='.
- 2
Read the decoded version
Spaces, slashes and accents appear in plain form.
- 3
Decode again if needed
If you still see '%25', the text was encoded twice — paste the result back in.
Key features
- Decodes every percent-encoded character
- Correct handling of UTF-8 multi-byte sequences
- Works on full URLs or single values
- Live output while you paste
Benefits
- Read long tracking links at a glance
- Spot double encoding that breaks redirects
- Pull clean search terms out of analytics exports
Real-life use cases
Auditing a campaign link
A marketer decodes a shared ad link and notices utm_campaign reads 'summer sale%20' with a trailing space that was splitting the report into two rows.
Debugging a login redirect
A developer decodes 'returnTo=%252Faccount' and sees it was encoded twice, which explains why users were landing on a 404 page.
Tips for the best results
- '%2F' is a slash, '%3F' a question mark and '%26' an ampersand — the three most common culprits in broken links.
- A '+' inside a query string often stands for a space in form submissions.
- If decoding throws an error, look for a lone '%' that isn't followed by two hex digits.
Conclusion
Paste any percent-filled link to see what it really says, catch double encoding, and copy out clean values for reports or code.
Frequently asked questions
What does %20 mean?
- It's a space. Each %XX is the hexadecimal code of one byte.
Why do I see %25 after decoding?
- %25 is an encoded percent sign, so the original was encoded twice. Decode it once more.
Does it turn + into a space?
- Plus signs are left as they are. Swap them for spaces yourself if the value came from an HTML form.
Can it decode Urdu or Chinese in links?
- Yes. Multi-byte UTF-8 sequences are combined back into the right characters.
What causes 'URI malformed' errors?
- A '%' that isn't followed by two valid hex characters, often from a link that was cut off.
Is the link stored anywhere?
- No. It's decoded in your browser and never sent to a server.
Related tools you may need
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- Base64 Encoder — Encode text to Base64 (UTF-8 safe).
- HTML Encoder — Escape HTML special characters (< > & " ').
Keep exploring
Browse the full tools directory, filter by category, or read guides on the Text Tools Hub blog.