decodeURIComponent()

The decodeURIComponent() function decodes a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) component previously created by encodeURIComponent or by a similar routine.

Syntax

decodeURIComponent(encodedURI)

Parameters

encodedURI
An encoded component of a Uniform Resource Identifier.

Return value

A new string representing the decoded version of the given encoded Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) component.

Exceptions

Throws an URIError ("malformed URI sequence") exception when used wrongly.

Description

Replaces each escape sequence in the encoded URI component with the character that it represents.

Examples

Decoding a Cyrillic URL component

decodeURIComponent('JavaScript_%D1%88%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%BB%D1%8B');
// "JavaScript_ัˆะตะปะปั‹"

Catching errors

try {
  var a = decodeURIComponent('%E0%A4%A');
} catch(e) {
  console.error(e);
}

// URIError: malformed URI sequence

Decoding query parameters from a URL

decodeURIComponent cannot be used directly to parse query parameters from a URL. It needs a bit of preparation.

function decodeQueryParam(p) {
  return decodeURIComponent(p.replace(/\+/g, ' '));
}

decodeQueryParam('search+query%20%28correct%29');
// 'search query (correct)'

Specifications

Specification
ECMAScript (ECMA-262)
The definition of 'decodeURIComponent' in that specification.

Browser compatibility

DesktopMobileServer
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung InternetNode.js
decodeURIComponentChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 5.5Opera Full support 7Safari Full support 1.1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100

Legend

Full support
Full support

See also