curl_unescape(3)

🦋 NAME 🦋

okay so bestie, this is the curl_unescape(3) page from the Library Functions Manual, and the name is literally curl_unescape — URL decode a string 💖. Yes it's deprecated, but we still stan completeness.

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <curl/curl.h>

char *curl_unescape(const char *input, int length);

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💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

First thing first: this function is deprecated. The replacement is curl_easy_unescape(3), so use that instead 💅.

This function converts the URL encoded string input to a "plain string" and returns that as a new allocated string. All input characters that are URL encoded (%XX where XX is a two-digit hexadecimal number) are converted to their plain text versions. Even though the returned data is not constrained by its type, that returned data may not be altered — like, respect the data's boundaries, bestie 🫶.

If the length argument is set to 0, curl_unescape(3) calls strlen() on input to find out the size.

You must curl_free(3) the returned string when you are done with it. That part is not optional 💀.

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🌈 PROTOCOLS 🌈

This functionality affects all supported protocols ✨.

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🍓 EXAMPLE 🍓

Here's the example, exactly as given, because we do not mess with code:

int main(void)
{
  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
  if(curl) {
    char *decoded = curl_unescape("%63%75%72%6c", 12);
    if(decoded) {
      /* do not assume printf() works on the decoded data */
      printf("Decoded: ");
      /* ... */
      curl_free(decoded);
    }
  }
}

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💀 DEPRECATED 💀

Since 7.15.4, curl_easy_unescape(3) should be used. This function might be removed in a future release. So like, don't build your whole personality around it 😭.

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👑 AVAILABILITY 👑

Added in curl 7.1.

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🫶 RETURN VALUE 🫶

A pointer to a null-terminated string or NULL if it failed.

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🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

• RFC2396
• curl_easy_escape(3)
• curl_easy_unescape(3)
• curl_free(3)

mwah 💋 this page is from libcurl, dated 2026-10-12, and it's literally the curl_unescape(3) manual — now go free that string, bestie 🎀✨