How to decode a (doubly) 'url-encoded' string in python

Question

Tried decoding a url-encoded string in the following way

some_string = 'FireShot3%2B%25282%2529.png'
import urllib
res = urllib.unquote(some_string).decode()
res
u'FireShot3+%282%29.png'

Original string is FireShot3 (2).png. Any help would be appreciated.

Answer: urllib.unquote_plus(urllib.unquote_plus(some_string)) due to double encoding.

duplicates stackoverflow.com/questions/16566069/url-decode-utf-8-in-python 100% — Marcus Müller
– Marcus Müller, Commented Feb 10, 2015 at 12:12
@MarcusMüller: not quite. There is no UTF-8 encoded data there, the string has been URL encoded twice. — Martijn Pieters
– Martijn Pieters, Commented Feb 10, 2015 at 12:14

Lutz Prechelt · Accepted Answer · 2021-06-06 08:10:55Z

31

Your input is encoded double. Using Python 3:

urllib.parse.unquote(urllib.parse.unquote(some_string))

Output:

'FireShot3+(2).png'

now you have the + left.

Edit:

Using Python 2.7, it would need to be:

urllib.unquote(urllib.unquote('FireShot3%2B%25282%2529.png'))

Lutz Prechelt

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answered Feb 10, 2015 at 12:13

user1907906

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1 Comment

unqoute_plus handles the + character.

JWL · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-22 09:42:23Z

10

urllib.unquote_plus(urllib.unquote_plus(some_string)) FireShot3 (2).png

JWL

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answered Feb 10, 2015 at 12:57

user1986059

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