Bytelify

URL Decoder

Decode percent-encoded URLs and query strings instantly, live as you type.

Runs in your browser, nothing sent
url-decode

Type in either field — the other updates live, both directions. Uses encodeURIComponent, safe for query-string values. Runs entirely in your browser — safe for URLs carrying API keys, access tokens, or other secrets.

Need the opposite? URL Encoder

What is URL Decoder?

Paste a percent-encoded URL or query string (like %20 for a space) and see the decoded, human-readable version instantly, both directions at once: edit either field and the other updates live. Useful for reading what's actually inside a long tracking URL or API redirect link before clicking it, or for building a query string by hand and checking it encodes the way you expect. Everything runs in your browser as you type.

How to Use the URL Decoder

  1. 1

    Paste the Encoded URL or Text: Enter a percent-encoded string, such as a long tracking URL or query string.

  2. 2

    Read the Decoded Result Instantly: The readable, decoded version appears automatically as you type.

  3. 3

    Copy the Result: Use the copy button to copy the decoded text for inspection or reuse.

How Percent-Encoding Works

URLs can only safely contain a limited set of ASCII characters. Anything outside that set (spaces, reserved punctuation like & and ?, or non-ASCII characters) gets replaced with a % followed by two hexadecimal digits representing that character's byte value. Decoding reverses the process: each %XX sequence is converted back to the character it represents. Multi-byte characters (like accented letters or emoji) are first encoded as UTF-8 bytes, and each of those bytes gets its own %XX sequence. A single non-ASCII character can expand into several percent-encoded triplets this way.

Example

OUTPUT
Decoding hello%20world%20%26%20more%3D1 produces hello world & more=1: %20 is a space, %26 is &, and %3D is =.

A multi-byte example: café encodes to caf%C3%A9, since é is UTF-8 encoded as the two bytes C3 A9, each written as its own %XX sequence.
FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about URL Decoder.

A malformed percent sequence (like a stray % not followed by two hex digits) will fail to decode. The tool tells you when this happens rather than guessing.

Standard <code>decodeURIComponent</code>/<code>encodeURIComponent</code>, the same encoding used for URL query parameters.

Long tracking or redirect links are often heavily percent-encoded and hard to read at a glance. Decoding reveals what's actually inside, such as a destination URL or tracked parameter, before you click through.

No, decodeURIComponent treats + as a literal plus character. The + -for-space convention is specific to application/x-www-form-urlencoded form data, not general percent-encoded URLs.

Yes, Bytelify's URL Decoder is free with no account or sign-up required.

No. The decoding runs entirely client-side in your browser, so nothing you paste is sent anywhere.