URL Decoder

URL decoding reverses the URL encoding process, converting percent-encoded characters (like %20 for space, %40 for @, %3F for ?) back to their original readable form. This is useful for reading encoded URLs, processing query parameters from URLs, debugging URL-encoded strings in web applications, or understanding what data is being transmitted in encoded URLs. URL decoding follows RFC 3986 standards.

Use URL decoding when you receive URL-encoded data and need to read it in its original form, when processing query parameters from URLs, when debugging URL-encoded strings in web applications, when analyzing URLs in browser developer tools, or when you need to understand what an encoded URL actually contains. It's the reverse operation of URL encoding.

URL decoding converts percent-encoded characters back to their original form. Common examples include: %20 becomes a space, %40 becomes @, %3F becomes ?, %26 becomes &, %23 becomes #, %2B becomes +, %3D becomes =, and %2F becomes /. Any character that was encoded using percent encoding (following the pattern %XX where XX is hexadecimal) will be decoded back to its original character.

If you try to decode an invalid URL-encoded string (one that doesn't contain valid percent-encoded characters), the decoder will show an error message. Invalid input includes strings that don't follow the percent-encoding format (%XX), malformed percent sequences, or strings that weren't actually URL-encoded. The tool includes error handling to prevent crashes and provides helpful error messages.

Absolutely. All URL decoding happens entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. Your data never leaves your device, isn't sent to any server, and isn't stored anywhere. This ensures complete privacy and security. The decoding uses the browser's built-in decodeURIComponent function, which runs locally without any network transmission.

You can decode both full URLs and individual URL components. However, for full URLs, you typically only want to decode specific parts (like query parameters) rather than the entire URL, as decoding the entire URL might break the URL structure. For query parameters or other URL components, decoding the entire value is correct. Our tool decodes the entire input, which is perfect for decoding query parameter values, path segments, or other URL components.

decodeURIComponent decodes all percent-encoded characters, making it suitable for decoding individual URL components like query parameters or path segments. decodeURI decodes fewer characters and is meant for decoding entire URLs, preserving characters like /, ?, and # that have special meaning in URLs. Our tool uses decodeURIComponent, which is the correct choice for decoding values that were encoded as URL components (like query parameters).

Our URL decoder follows RFC 3986, which is the official standard for URI decoding. This ensures compatibility with all web browsers, servers, and applications. The decoding uses JavaScript's decodeURIComponent function, which implements RFC 3986 percent-decoding. This means decoded URLs will work correctly across all platforms and systems that follow web standards.