URL Decoder
Decode a percent-encoded URL or query string back to readable text.
Reading percent-encoded sequences
Each %XX represents one byte in hexadecimal — %20 is a space, %26 is an ampersand, and so on. Multi-byte UTF-8 characters appear as several consecutive %XX groups.
Why decoding can fail
A malformed or truncated percent sequence — a stray % not followed by two valid hex digits — causes decoding to throw an error, usually from a URL that was copied incompletely.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Copying a truncated encoded URL
Solution:
If a % sign at the end of a copied string is not followed by two hex digits, decoding fails. Make sure you copy the entire encoded value.
Confusing + and %20
Solution:
Inside a query string both commonly represent a space, but + is only valid in that context — not in the URL path itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually a malformed or truncated percent-encoded sequence — check that the full string was copied.
No — decoding happens entirely in your browser.
Reading percent-encoded sequences
Each %XX represents one byte in hexadecimal — %20 is a space, %26 is an ampersand, and so on. Multi-byte UTF-8 characters appear as several consecutive %XX groups.
Why decoding can fail
A malformed or truncated percent sequence — a stray % not followed by two valid hex digits — causes decoding to throw an error, usually from a URL that was copied incompletely.