What does %XX in URLs mean?

Percent-encoding. Each `%XX` pair is two hex digits representing one byte of UTF-8 data. So `%20` is the space character, `%2F` is `/`, `%D0%9F%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82` is `Привет` (UTF-8 bytes 0xD0 0x9F 0xD1 0x80 ...). This tool calls `decodeURIComponent` in your browser to convert these back to readable characters.

I'm getting 'Invalid URL-encoded string'. Why?

`decodeURIComponent` is strict. Common causes: a lone `%` not followed by two hex digits, a `%` followed by non-hex characters, or a truncated UTF-8 sequence (e.g., `%D0%` with no second byte). Clean up the input, or escape any literal `%` to `%25` before decoding.

Can I decode the same string multiple times?

Yes. Useful when a value got double-encoded by a buggy pipeline. `Hello%2520World` → first decode → `Hello%20World` → second decode → `Hello World`. Run this tool repeatedly to peel each layer.

Is the decoding done on the server?

No, it runs entirely in your browser via the built-in JavaScript `decodeURIComponent`. Nothing leaves your device. To encode back, use URL Encoder.

Free, no signup, no rate limit (everything runs client-side).

WEB

URL Decoder

Decode URL strings

Input

URL-encoded Text

Decode percent-encoded strings back to human-readable text. Useful for debugging API queries and tracking parameters.

Terminal

Console ready. Execute a command to see output...

About URL Decoder

Decrypt the query

Web browsers automatically encode URLs when sending data. Use this tool to reverse that process and read complex query strings or UTM parameters clearly.

Why decode?

Marketing campaigns often use long, ugly URLs full of %20 and %25 signs. Decoding them helps you verify the campaign data or debug API errors where parameters are getting mangled during transmission.

How to use URL Decoder

Paste the encoded text
Paste the percent-encoded string into the textarea.
Hit Decode
The browser runs decodeURIComponent and prints the readable result into the terminal panel.
Run again if needed
If the original data was double-encoded, hit Decode again on the previous result. To encode back use URL Encoder.

Frequently Asked Questions

: Percent-encoding. Each %XX pair is two hex digits representing one byte of UTF-8 data. So %20 is the space character, %2F is /, %D0%9F%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82 is Привет (UTF-8 bytes 0xD0 0x9F 0xD1 0x80 ...). This tool calls decodeURIComponent in your browser to convert these back to readable characters.