URL Decode
Free URL Decoder Online
About URL Decode
URL Decode is a free, instant, browser-based tool that converts percent-encoded URL strings back to their original, human-readable text. It reverses URL encoding by replacing all %XX escape sequences with the actual characters they represent, making encoded URLs and query parameters immediately readable.
URL decoding is constantly needed by developers analyzing web application behavior. Server access logs record raw URL-encoded request paths and query strings — decoding them reveals exactly what was requested. Browser DevTools shows URL-encoded form submissions and XHR request bodies — decoding exposes the actual data sent. API debugging tools capture encoded webhook URLs and callback parameters — decoding makes them readable. Redirects in OAuth flows and SSO integrations contain URL-encoded state parameters, redirect URIs, and scope values that must be decoded to be understood.
Double encoding is another common issue — when URL-encoded strings are themselves URL-encoded, producing sequences like %2520 (where % becomes %25, followed by 20). This tool decodes one layer of encoding at a time, helping you identify and diagnose double-encoding problems in your application. The tool also handles the + sign convention used in application/x-www-form-urlencoded data, where + represents a space character (different from %20 in standard URL encoding).
URL decoding is constantly needed by developers analyzing web application behavior. Server access logs record raw URL-encoded request paths and query strings — decoding them reveals exactly what was requested. Browser DevTools shows URL-encoded form submissions and XHR request bodies — decoding exposes the actual data sent. API debugging tools capture encoded webhook URLs and callback parameters — decoding makes them readable. Redirects in OAuth flows and SSO integrations contain URL-encoded state parameters, redirect URIs, and scope values that must be decoded to be understood.
Double encoding is another common issue — when URL-encoded strings are themselves URL-encoded, producing sequences like %2520 (where % becomes %25, followed by 20). This tool decodes one layer of encoding at a time, helping you identify and diagnose double-encoding problems in your application. The tool also handles the + sign convention used in application/x-www-form-urlencoded data, where + represents a space character (different from %20 in standard URL encoding).
starKey Features
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Complete Percent-sequence Decoding
Decodes all %XX and %uXXXX percent-encoded sequences back to their original characters, including reserved characters, symbols, and multi-byte Unicode sequences.
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UTF-8 Multi-byte Unicode Recovery
Correctly handles percent-encoded multi-byte UTF-8 sequences, recovering the original Unicode characters including Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, and emoji text.
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Plus-sign Space Handling
Optionally treats + characters as spaces, consistent with the application/x-www-form-urlencoded format used for HTML form data submissions and some legacy APIs.
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Real-time Decoding
Decodes URL-encoded strings in real time as you paste or type, providing immediate human-readable output with no delay or button click required.
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Browser-only Processing
All decoding runs in your browser. URL parameters containing sensitive information, tokens, or internal system identifiers never leave your device.
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Invalid Sequence Detection
Identifies and reports invalid percent-encoding sequences such as %2 (missing second hex digit) or %ZZ (invalid hex characters), helping diagnose encoding bugs.
help_outlineHow to Use
1
Paste Your Encoded URL
Paste the URL-encoded string or complete URL you want to decode into the input textarea. The tool handles both full URLs and individual encoded parameter values.
2
Click Process
Press the Process button. All %XX sequences are decoded and replaced with their actual character values in the output.
3
Read the Decoded Output
The decoded, human-readable string appears in the output area. Spaces, special characters, and international text are now visible and readable.
4
Copy or Use
Copy the decoded string for further analysis, paste into documentation, or use in debugging to understand the original data.
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Server Log Analysis
Decode URL-encoded request paths and query strings from Apache, Nginx, or IIS access logs to understand exactly what resources were requested with what parameters.
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API and Webhook Debugging
Decode encoded URLs, query strings, and callback parameters from API requests captured in browser DevTools, Postman, or HTTP proxy tools like Charles or Fiddler.
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OAuth and SSO Parameter Inspection
Decode the redirect_uri, state, scope, and other URL-encoded parameters in OAuth authorization URLs and SSO redirect flows during authentication debugging.
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Form Submission Analysis
Decode application/x-www-form-urlencoded POST request bodies to see exactly what data a form submitted, useful for debugging form handling code.