HTML Entity Encoder & Decoder
Encode special characters as HTML entities or decode them to readable text. Convert named, decimal and hexadecimal references, with support for Unicode and emoji.
Your result will appear here.
How to encode or decode HTML entities
- Paste text or HTML character references and choose Encode or Decode.
- When encoding, enable named entities for forms such as &, or turn them off to use hexadecimal references.
- Run the conversion and copy or download the text. The result is displayed literally, not rendered as a webpage.
Working with HTML Entity Encoder & Decoder
Encoded text is useful when displaying angle brackets and other special characters as text. Decoding never executes the result here. HTML entity encoding is not a substitute for context-aware HTML sanitisation.
Example: display HTML markup as text
- Input
<p title="A&B">Hello, world! 👋</p>- Result
<p title="A&B">Hello, world! 👋</p>
Questions about HTML Entity Encoder & Decoder
What is the difference between named and numeric HTML entities?
©, © and © all represent ©. Decoding accepts named, decimal and hexadecimal references. Encoding uses names where available when that option is enabled; other characters, including emoji, use numeric references.
Why does < become &lt;?
Encoding text that already contains entities encodes its ampersands again. Each decode operation removes one layer: &lt; becomes <, not <. Check the source before decoding repeatedly. represents a non-breaking space, not an ordinary space.
Is HTML entity encoding the same as URL encoding?
No. HTML uses references such as &, while URL encoding uses percent escapes such as %26. Use the URL tool for parameter values. A URL inside an HTML attribute may need URL encoding for its values and HTML escaping for the attribute itself.
Does this tool clean HTML or prevent XSS?
No. It converts characters, not untrusted markup into safe HTML. Results are shown as text and never executed here. Production code needs protection appropriate to its HTML, URL, CSS or JavaScript context. Decoding rejects unknown entities, missing semicolons in references and invalid numeric references.
Are my files, tokens or text uploaded?
No. These tools process your input in your browser. The website serves the page and its code, but your input is not sent to a conversion server or saved in an account.
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