Why do some links look so strange?
URLs only allow a limited set of ASCII letters, digits and symbols. When a link contains non-English characters, spaces or special symbols, browsers convert them with percent-encoding — so “café” becomes caf%C3%A9 and a space becomes %20. This tool converts in both directions: it makes encoded links readable and prepares text for safe use in URLs.
What you can do
- Encode URL: encodes disallowed characters while keeping URL structure (/, ?, &, #). Use it for a full URL.
- Encode component: encodes everything, including / ? &. Use it for a single parameter value.
- Decode: turns an encoded URL back into readable text, treating + as a space.
- Make slug: turns an article title into a clean path such as
best-free-pdf-tools. - Parse URL: shows protocol, host, path and every query parameter in a table.
encodeURI vs encodeURIComponent
A classic developer mistake: if you pass a full URL as a parameter value inside another URL, like ?redirect=https://site.com/a?b=1, it must be encoded as a component — otherwise its ? and & collide with the outer URL. For encoding a whole URL to request or display, the regular “Encode URL” is enough.
Are non-English URLs good for SEO?
Google supports and understands URLs in any language, and keywords in the path can help. But they appear long and encoded when copied into some apps. A common compromise is short, descriptive slugs containing the main keyword and nothing extra.
To turn a link into a QR code, use the QR Code Generator.
Why clean URLs matter for SEO
A URL slug is one of the first things users and search engines see about your page. A clear slug like /blog/compress-images tells visitors what's inside before they click, improving click-through rate, while a URL full of parameters like /p?id=8472&x=3 says nothing.
Non-English slugs
Google supports and understands URLs in Arabic and other scripts, but when copied and shared they often turn into long strings of percent-encoded characters like %D8%A7..., which look unappealing on social media. That's why many site owners prefer short, descriptive Latin-character slugs.
Golden rules for the perfect slug
- Keep it short: 3–5 words is usually enough.
- Use hyphens
-to separate words, not underscores. - Drop unnecessary filler words like “the”, “of” and “and”.
- Don't change a published page's URL; if you must, add a permanent 301 redirect.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make an encoded link readable?
Paste it into the box and click “Decode”.
When should I use “Encode component”?
When placing a value inside a query parameter — especially if it contains /, ?, & or a full URL.
What is a slug?
The readable last part of a page URL, like my-article in example.com/blog/my-article.
Does encoding change where a link goes?
No. Encoded and decoded forms point to the same page; only the notation differs.
Is my data sent to a server?
No. Everything happens in your browser.
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