01
Decoding spaces and punctuation
Paste Hello%20World%21 and click Decode to get Hello World! — %20 becomes a space and %21 becomes an exclamation mark.
URL Decoder
Data ToolsDecode URL-encoded text online, turning %20 and other codes back into characters — free.
Options
About
About the URL Decoder
Turns percent-encoded text like %20 and %2F back into readable characters, with an option to treat + as a space.
Developers use it to read what a query parameter or path segment actually contains while debugging a request, and anyone handed a long, encoded link uses it to see the readable URL underneath. It's one of many free data tools on Toolapt, and like every tool here, it's free to use with no sign-up and no limit on how many times you run it.
Examples
URL Decoder examples
3 worked examples
02
Decoding a path
Paste %2Fpath%2Fto%2Ffile and Decode returns /path/to/file, since %2F decodes to a forward slash.
03
Treating + as a space
With "Treat + as a space" on, decoding a+b+c returns "a b c"; turn that option off and the same input decodes to "a+b+c" unchanged, since + is then read literally.
Related tools
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to common questions about the URL Decoder.
What does the URL Decoder do?
It converts percent-encoded text back into its original, readable characters.
Is the URL Decoder free to use?
Yes. It's free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many times you use it.
Is my text safe when I use this tool?
Yes. Decoding happens entirely on your own device using your browser's built-in decodeURIComponent function — nothing you paste is sent to a server.
What does "Treat + as a space" do?
It's on by default and converts every literal + character to a space before decoding, which matches how form data (application/x-www-form-urlencoded) traditionally encodes spaces. Turn it off if your text is from a context where + is meant literally.
What happens if I paste badly encoded text?
You'll see a clear error message telling you the text isn't validly percent-encoded — typically caused by a % that isn't followed by two hex digits.
Does this handle Unicode characters, like accented letters or emoji?
Yes. Percent-encoded UTF-8 byte sequences are decoded back into the correct Unicode characters.
Can I use the URL Decoder on my phone?
Yes. The page is fully responsive and works on mobile, tablet and desktop browsers alike.
Does the URL Decoder have any limitations?
It's built for typical encoded text and URLs. There's no artificial length limit, though very large inputs may take a moment longer.