URL-encode a value: urlencode

The urlencode template function converts a dictionary of key-value pairs into a URL-encoded query string. This is Home Assistant’s override of the default urlencode filter, specifically designed to handle dictionaries for building HTTP request parameters.

This is useful when constructing URLs for REST commands, webhooks, or API calls from within your automationsAutomations in Home Assistant allow you to automatically respond to things that happen in and around your home. [Learn more] and scriptsScripts are components that allow you to specify a sequence of actions to be executed by Home Assistant when turned on. [Learn more]. For example, you might need to send data to an external service with properly encoded parameters, or build a query string for a webhook URL. The function ensures that special characters in your values are properly escaped so they are transmitted correctly.

Usage

Here’s how to use this template function. Copy any example and adjust it to your setup.

{{ urlencode({"name": "Living Room", "value": "23.5"}) }}

name=Living+Room&value=23.5

Function signature

The signature is a technical summary of this template function. It shows the name of the function, the values (called parameters) it accepts, and what type of data each parameter expects (for example, a piece of text or a number).

Function parameters that have a = with a value after them are optional. If you leave them out, the default value shown is used automatically. Function parameters without a default are required.

urlencode(
    value: dict,
) -> str

Function parameters

The following parameters can be provided to this function.

Good to know

• Spaces in values are encoded as +, not %20. Most servers accept both, but if you need %20 specifically, replace it afterwards.
• Only accepts a dictionary. To encode a single string (for example, a URL path segment), handle it manually or use slugify where appropriate.

Try it yourself

Ready to test this? Open Developer tools > Template, paste the example into the Template editor, and watch the result update on the right. Edit the values to see how the function adapts to your own entitiesAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more].

More examples

Real scenarios where this function comes up in automations and templates. Copy any example and adapt it to your setup.

Build a webhook URL with parameters

Construct a full URL with encoded query parameters for calling an external webhook.

{{
  "https://example.com/webhook?" ~ urlencode({
    "token": "abc123",
    "message": "Front door opened",
    "room": "Living Room"
  })
}}

https://example.com/webhook?token=abc123&message=Front+door+opened&room=Living+Room

Send sensor data to an external service

Encode sensor values into a query string for use in a REST command.

action:
  - action: rest_command.send_data
    data:
      payload: >
        {{
          urlencode({
            "temperature": states("sensor.temperature"),
            "humidity": states("sensor.humidity"),
            "location": "home"
          })
        }}

Still stuck?

The Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with your template and expected result, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.

Related template functions

These functions work well alongside this one:

• Convert to slug format: slugify - Converts a string to a slug format with an optional separator character.

• Convert number to ordinal: ordinal - Converts a number to its ordinal string representation (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so on).