URL Decode Tool

Decode Options

Encoded input

Paste a full URL or any percent-encoded string.

Decode mode Standard decode Raw decode

Standard turns + into spaces; raw keeps +.

Plus handling Auto Treat + as space Preserve + signs

Control how + should be interpreted.

Decode passes (1–10)

Use more passes for double-encoded strings.

Output view Plain text JSON snippet

Choose the best output format for copy.

Analysis toggles

Parse query parameters

Validate full URL format

Extract parts for audits and debugging.

Decode Now Reset

Example Data Table

Tip: For double-encoded input, set passes to 2 or more.

Formula Used

URL decoding is a deterministic mapping from an encoded string to its readable form. It applies these rules over the text stream:

• Percent decoding: each token %HH becomes the byte with hexadecimal value HH.
• Space rule (optional): a plus sign + may be interpreted as a space .
• Multi-pass decoding: repeat decoding up to N times until output stabilizes.

How to Use This Calculator

1. Paste your encoded URL or string into the input box.
2. Select a decode mode and choose plus handling.
3. Increase passes if you suspect double-encoding.
4. Enable query parsing to extract key–value parameters.
5. Press Decode Now to view results above the form.
6. Use the CSV or PDF buttons to export your report.

Decode Quality Signals

Use the result summary as a compact dataset: original length, decoded length, percent tokens, and passes used. When percent tokens exceed 20 per 200 characters, encoding density is high and readability is usually poor. A decoded length increase often means spaces and punctuation were restored, while a decrease often means nested encodings collapsed into shorter paths. For QA teams, these values support objective comparisons between “before” and “after” cleaning.

Multi‑Pass Strategy

Multi-pass decoding handles layered inputs such as redirects, email trackers, and encode-then-encode pipelines. Example: %252Fdocs%252Fguide becomes %2Fdocs%2Fguide after pass 1, then /docs/guide after pass 2. In practice, 2–3 passes resolve most cases; 4–6 passes are uncommon and usually indicate repeated escaping across services. Stop when a pass shows “No” in the changed column, which indicates convergence.

Plus Handling in Query Math

The plus sign is context-sensitive: in many query strings it represents a space, but in formulas, identifiers, and programming terms it must remain literal. A search term like data+science can mean “data science”, while C++ must not become “C ”. Choose “Treat + as space” for typical analytics queries and “Preserve + signs” for technical strings or computed parameters. This prevents silent meaning changes that can break filters and misclassify keywords.

Parameter Extraction Metrics

When query parsing is enabled, each key–value pair becomes measurable. Count total parameters, identify repeated keys, and compute the longest value length to spot oversized payloads. If a URL has 25+ parameters or a single value longer than 500 characters, it often indicates embedded state, tracking blobs, or malformed encoding. These metrics help standardize campaign tagging and detect accidental leakage of tokens or identifiers.

Component Consistency Checks

Use the URL parts table to validate structure: scheme, host, path, query, and fragment. Missing scheme/host typically means you decoded a fragment rather than a complete link, which is common in referrer logs and scraped text. Very deep paths (8+ segments) can indicate routing rules, while large fragments can signal client-side state. Combine the parts view with validation to separate complete URLs from decoded snippets.

Export-Ready Reporting

CSV is best for batch analysis: sort by percent tokens, filter by passes used, and flag outliers by decoded length. PDF is best for fixed-format evidence in QA notes, compliance reviews, or client deliverables. Include pass-by-pass rows to document the transformation chain and reduce ambiguity during peer review. For reproducibility, always capture mode, plus handling, and the final decoded output in the exported file.

FAQs

Why does my decoded text still contain % symbols?

Some percent signs are literal, or the sequence is incomplete. Increase passes, verify tokens look like %HH, and confirm the input wasn’t partially copied or truncated.

When should I use raw decode instead of standard?

Use raw when plus signs must remain literal, such as formulas, identifiers, or paths. Standard is better for typical query strings where + commonly represents a space.

What does “percent tokens” measure?

It counts occurrences of %HH patterns in the original input. Higher counts usually mean more encoded bytes, often correlating with heavier escaping or multi-layer encoding.

Why did the decoded length get shorter?

Multi-pass decoding can collapse encoded separators into fewer characters, like turning %2F into /. This often shortens long encoded strings into compact paths or URLs.

Can this tool decode full URLs and fragments?

Yes. It works on any encoded string. Validation reports whether the final result matches a full URL format, while parsing can extract query parameters when present.

Is exporting safe for sensitive URLs?

Exports contain whatever you paste into the tool. Avoid sharing files with credentials or private tokens. If needed, redact parameters before exporting or store reports securely.