URL Decoder
Paste a percent-encoded URL or query string and read it in plain words in seconds. Fixpio’s URL decoder runs entirely in your browser, turns %20, %26 and other codes back into readable characters, and never uploads what you paste. No sign-up, no install — just the link, readable again.
Decode a URL
Paste a percent-encoded link or query string and read it in plain text.
Why decoding a URL properly matters
Three everyday jobs this page handles without a terminal or an upload.
Shared links you can read
Been sent a link full of %20 and %26? Run it through this decoder and read its destination and its parameters in plain words, instead of guessing what the codes hide.
Query strings you can check
When a link or an API request does not behave, decoding its query string shows each name and value clearly, so a wrong value or a stray character is easy to spot.
Campaign links you can trust
Marketers can decode a UTM link before it goes out, so a campaign name with spaces or symbols reads exactly as intended, and nothing is lost in the encoding.
About this tool
Most people reach for a URL decoder at an awkward moment: a link that breaks when it is pasted, a shared address full of percent codes, or a query string in a ticket that nobody can read. This page is built for that moment. Paste the encoded text, press Decode URL, and read the plain version straight away — with no account to create, no program to install, and no upload to wait for.
Underneath, it is plain percent encoding — the web’s standard way of writing a character a URL cannot carry directly. Each code is a percent sign followed by two hexadecimal digits, so %20 stands for a space and %26 for an ampersand. In query strings a plus sign also means a space, and this tool converts those first, so a+b becomes a b. Remember the limit: decoding only changes how characters are written. An encoded link still points to the same destination, so check the domain before you open it.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers about spaces and what encoding can — and cannot — do.
How do I decode a URL on this page?
Paste the encoded link or query string into the Input box and press Decode URL. The decoded text appears in the Output box, ready to read or copy.
What is percent-encoding, and why is it needed?
Percent-encoding is the web’s standard way of writing a character a URL cannot carry directly, such as a space or a symbol. Each code is a percent sign followed by two hexadecimal digits, so %20 stands for a space and %26 for an ampersand. Without it, a link with spaces or special characters would break.
Why does a plus sign become a space?
In query strings a plus sign is the traditional way to write a space, so a+b becomes a b when it is decoded. This matters in form data and campaign links, where a plus sign usually means a space rather than a literal plus. If you need a real plus sign, it should be written as %2B.
Why does a space become %20?
Spaces are not allowed in a URL, so they must be replaced when a link is encoded. Most encoders write a space as %20, which this decoder turns back into a space. In a form query you may also see a plus sign used for the same purpose.
Does URL decoding hide or protect my text?
No. Decoding only changes how characters are written — it does not encrypt anything or make a link safe. An encoded link still points to the same destination, so always check the domain before you open it, especially if it came from an unknown sender.
Why did my URL decode fail?
The most common cause is a percent sign that is not followed by two hexadecimal digits, such as %zz or a lone % at the end of a string. Check the percent sequences, fix any stray percent signs, and try again. If the whole address is still unreadable, it may be encoded more than once — decode it again to see if a second layer of codes appears.