Is this the reverse of the URL Decoder page?
Yes. URL Encoder shares the same mode structure as the URL Decoder, so you can move between encode and decode work safely by matching the mode on each side.
Does it encode query strings differently from full URLs?
Yes. Query strings are encoded key-by-key and value-by-value, preserving the separators between parameters, instead of treating the whole string as one segment.
Why are there multiple encoding modes?
The correct encoding depends on where the text is going. Separate modes for full URL, query string, query value, and path segment keep the result valid in each context.
Does it upload my text to a server?
No. URL Encoder runs entirely in your browser. The text you paste is encoded locally on your device and never uploaded.
Is it free?
Yes. URL Encoder is free to use with no account and no upload required.
Which mode should I use for a single parameter value?
Query value. It runs encodeURIComponent, which escapes every character that has meaning in a URL, including &, =, ?, #, and /. That is what you want when the value is a search phrase, a redirect target, or anything else that might contain those characters and must not be read as structure.
Why is my space encoded as %20 instead of +?
The tool uses the standard encoding functions, which always produce %20. The + form comes from HTML form submission and is only valid inside a query string. %20 works in a query string and in a path, so it is the safer choice. Most servers decode both.
Can I paste an entire URL and encode it safely?
Yes, in Full URL mode. It escapes spaces and non-ASCII characters while leaving the structural characters alone, so the result is still a working link. This is the mode to use when a URL contains a space or an accented character and a system is rejecting it.
My URL contains parentheses and a downstream tool is breaking. Why are they not escaped?
Parentheses are in the unreserved set for encodeURIComponent, so neither this tool nor any standard encoder escapes them. Some Markdown and chat parsers cut a link at the first closing parenthesis regardless. If that is your case, replace ( and ) with %28 and %29 by hand after encoding.
Does the text I paste leave the browser?
No. Encoding runs locally with the browser's own encodeURI and encodeURIComponent. Nothing is sent anywhere, which matters when the value you are encoding is a token or a customer email.
How do I avoid double encoding?
Look at your input before you press the button. If it already contains percent signs followed by two hex digits, it is encoded, and encoding it again turns each % into %25. Decode it first, confirm it reads as plain text, then encode once.