Decode percent-encoded URLs back to readable text, with an optional plus-as-space rule and a repeat mode that unwraps double-encoded values such as %253A.
Show calculation steps
Processed privately in your browser — nothing you paste is uploaded, logged or stored.
How to use the URL Decoder
- Paste the encoded URL or value.
- Turn on "Treat + as a space" if the text came from a submitted HTML form.
- Turn on "Decode repeatedly" when you suspect double encoding – the tool reports how many passes it needed.
- Click "Decode URL".
Frequently asked questions
Why does my result still contain percent signs?
Because the value was encoded more than once. Each pass removes one layer, so enable "Decode repeatedly" and the tool will unwrap it and tell you how many rounds were required.
The decoder reports an invalid escape. What does that mean?
A percent sign must be followed by exactly two hexadecimal digits. A bare percent – as in "50% off" – is invalid inside a URL and must itself be written as %25. The error gives the exact position of the problem.
Why do I sometimes get an error about invalid UTF-8?
The percent-escapes decoded to a byte sequence that is not valid UTF-8. Usually the original text was encoded using a legacy character set such as Windows-1252, or the string was truncated mid-character.
Is it safe to open a URL after decoding it here?
Decoding only reveals the text; it never fetches anything. Treat the revealed destination with the same caution as any unfamiliar link – seeing it in plain form is exactly the point of decoding it first.
