How to decode a percent-encoded URL

When you copy a URL from a browser address bar, log file, or API response, it often contains percent-encoded sequences like %20 for space or %C3%A9 for é. Decoding these sequences reveals the original string, which is essential for debugging redirect chains, inspecting OAuth callback parameters, and reading log entries. This guide shows how to decode any percent-encoded string instantly.

Step-by-step guide

1. Copy the encoded URL or value: Copy the percent-encoded string from your browser, log file, curl output, or API response.
2. Select decode mode: Open the URL Encoder / Decoder and select 'decode'. Paste the encoded string into the input field.
3. Read the decoded output: The plain text appears immediately. If the input contains %XX sequences, they are converted back to their original characters — including non-ASCII Unicode characters encoded as multi-byte UTF-8 sequences.

Frequently asked questions

What does 'URI malformed' or a decode error mean?

The input contains an invalid percent sequence — a % not followed by two valid hex digits. This happens with truncated or hand-edited URLs. Find the malformed % and fix or remove it.

Why are some characters like + not decoded to a space?

RFC 3986 decoding does not convert + to a space — only %20 is decoded as a space. The + convention comes from HTML form encoding. If your input uses + for spaces (from a form submission), replace + with %20 before decoding, or use a library that handles application/x-www-form-urlencoded format.