What is URL encoding?
URL encoding, also called percent encoding, replaces unsafe characters in URLs with a percent sign followed by two hex digits, like a space becoming %20. This makes URLs safe to send through web requests.
When should I use Component mode vs URI mode?
Use Component mode when encoding a single value, like a query parameter. It escapes everything that is not strictly safe. Use URI mode when encoding a full URL, because it keeps structural characters such as : / ? # & = untouched.
Is URL encoding the same as Base64?
No. URL encoding is designed for URLs and only escapes unsafe characters. Base64 converts arbitrary bytes into a compact ASCII representation and is used for embedding binary data inside text formats.
Does this tool support Unicode?
Yes. The tool uses the browser's built-in encoders that handle UTF-8 correctly, so accented letters, Asian characters, and emoji are preserved through encode and decode cycles.
Does my data leave my browser?
No. All encoding and decoding happen locally in your browser.