How Do You URL Encode a Question Mark (?)?
The url encoding of "?" is %3F. The question mark (?) is URL encoded as %3F. In URLs, the question mark has a special meaning -- it separates the path from the query string. When you need a literal question mark inside a query parameter value, you must encode it as %3F to prevent the URL parser from treating it as a query separator.
Why Encode "?"?
The ? character delimits the query string in a URL (e.g., /search?q=hello). If your data contains a literal question mark (e.g., a quiz question "What is 2+2?"), encoding it prevents the URL parser from misinterpreting it as a second query separator.
Encoding Details
| Character | ? |
| Encoded form | %3F |
| Encoding type | URL encoding |
| Unicode code point | U+003F |
Code Examples
JavaScript
encodeURIComponent('What is 2+2?');
// "What%20is%202%2B2%3F"Python
from urllib.parse import quote
quote('What is 2+2?')
# 'What%20is%202%2B2%3F'Try It Yourself
Use our URL Encoder to encode any character instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I NOT encode a question mark in a URL?
Do not encode the question mark that separates the URL path from the query string. Only encode question marks that appear inside parameter values. For example, in /search?q=What%3F, the first ? is structural and the second is encoded data.
What is the difference between encodeURI and encodeURIComponent?
encodeURI preserves URL structure characters (?, &, =, /, #) while encodeURIComponent encodes everything except unreserved characters. Use encodeURIComponent for parameter values and encodeURI for complete URLs.
Is %3F case-sensitive?
No. Both %3F and %3f are valid. However, RFC 3986 recommends uppercase hex digits for consistency.