Secrets and encoding

How to URL-encode a query string

A parameter contains spaces, &, or non-ASCII, and the request breaks. Encode it on URL Encoder.

Ben Fidge · · 4 min read

URL encoding, percent-decoding, and HTML escaping are different jobs.
URL encoding is for a query component, and a whole URL is the wrong thing to encode.

What to run

Open URL Encoder. It stays in the browser.

How to read the result

Spaces become %20 or + depending on the mode the page states.

Encode a component, not a whole URL, or you will escape ://.

The decoded form should match the input.

What to open next

Open HTML Escape only if the same string is also going into HTML. They are different encodings. It stays in the browser.

Analytics and ad cookies stay off until you accept

Accept lets Google Analytics and AdSense set cookies. Reject keeps them off. The tools work either way. Read the privacy page.