Convert HTML entities, privately
Encode text into HTML entities — or decode entities back into plain text — right on this page. It escapes the five special characters (&, <, >, ", ') and decodes named plus numeric references (decimal and hex). Everything runs in your browser: 0 uploads, works offline, so your text never touches a server.
How to use it
- Paste or type your text into the box.
- Choose Encode to turn special characters into entities, or Decode to turn entities back into characters.
- The result updates live as you type.
- Copy the output, or clear the box and paste something new.
FAQ
How do I encode HTML special characters?
Paste your text and pick Encode — this page replaces &, <, >, " and ' with their safe entity forms (&, <, >, ", ') so the text renders as literal characters instead of markup. It runs entirely in your browser, with no upload and no sign-up, and works with your Wi-Fi off.
How do I decode HTML entities back into text?
Choose Decode and paste text that contains entities. This page turns the five named entities (plus ') back into characters, and also resolves numeric references — decimal like 😀 and hexadecimal like 😀 — into the character they represent. Unknown entities such as are left exactly as they are.
Why should I escape &, < and >?
Left raw in HTML, these let a browser read your text as tags or attributes, which breaks the page or opens the door to injection. Encoding them as &, < and > makes the browser show the characters literally, so user-supplied text is displayed safely.
Does encoding then decoding give me my text back?
Yes. Encoding escapes only the five special characters and decoding reverses exactly those, so a round trip returns your original text unchanged — nothing else in the string is altered.
Is my text sent anywhere?
No. Encoding and decoding happen locally and nothing is stored — that's the point. Your text never leaves the page.
Limits
Encodes the five HTML-special characters (&, <, >, ", ') and decodes those named entities plus ' and numeric references (decimal and hex). It does not expand the full HTML5 named-entity set — an entity like or © passes through unchanged on decode rather than becoming a space or a ©.
Related
For working with markup alongside this, the JSON formatter and other text tools pair naturally.
Bookmark this page (Ctrl+D, or ⌘D on Mac) or install the app — it works offline the next time you need it.