DevGizmo

URL Decoder

Decode any percent-encoded URL or query string back to plain readable text.

About the URL Decoder

The DevGizmo URL Decoder reverses percent-encoding and converts a URL-safe string back into human-readable text. It uses the JavaScript decodeURIComponent function, correctly handling multi-byte UTF-8 sequences so that non-ASCII characters — including accented letters, Chinese, Arabic, and emoji — are restored accurately. All decoding happens locally in your browser with no server round-trip.

If the input contains a malformed percent-escape — such as a lone % not followed by two valid hexadecimal digits — the tool displays a clear error message rather than producing corrupted output.

How to Decode a URL

  1. Paste the percent-encoded URL or string into the input field above.
  2. The decoded plain text appears automatically in the output field.
  3. Use the copy button to transfer the result to your clipboard.

Common Scenarios

  • Reading API responses — REST APIs sometimes return URLs in encoded form; paste them here to make them readable.
  • Debugging query strings — long encoded query parameters in browser URLs can be decoded to inspect the original key-value pairs.
  • Log file analysis — web server and CDN access logs often record request URLs in percent-encoded format.
  • Email links — tracking URLs embedded in emails are typically heavily encoded; decode them to see where they actually point.

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