HTML Encoder & Decoder – Free Online HTML Entity Tool
Instantly encode special characters into HTML entities, decode entities back to readable text, escape or unescape HTML tags for safe display, or strip HTML tags entirely. Built for developers, content writers and students.
Instant conversion · 100% private · No signup · Works on mobile & desktop
Free HTML Encoder & Decoder — Convert HTML Entities Instantly
Whether you're a developer displaying raw code snippets on a webpage, a security-conscious engineer sanitizing user input against XSS attacks, or a content writer who needs to show <div> tags as plain text instead of rendered HTML — this free online HTML encoder and decoder handles it all in one click. Paste your text, pick a conversion, and the result appears instantly. No installs, no server uploads, no formatting headaches.
How to Use This HTML Encoder & Decoder
Type or Paste
Enter any HTML or text into the input box on the left
Pick a Mode
Click Encode, Decode, Escape Tags or Strip Tags
See the Result
Converted output appears instantly on the right
Copy & Use
Click "Copy Result" and paste it wherever you need it
Common HTML Entity Reference
| Character | Named Entity | Decimal Entity | Hex Entity |
|---|---|---|---|
| < (less than) | < | < | < |
| > (greater than) | > | > | > |
| & (ampersand) | & | & | & |
| " (double quote) | " | " | " |
| ' (single quote) | ' | ' | ' |
| © (copyright) | © | © | © |
| ® (registered) | ® | ® | ® |
| € (euro sign) | € | € | € |
| (non-breaking space) | |   |   |
Key Features
Instant Conversion
Results appear the moment you click a button — no waiting, no loading
XSS-Safe Escaping
Escape Tags mode converts only the characters that can break HTML markup
Decimal & Hex Entities
Generate both numeric formats depending on what your system expects
Strip HTML Tags
Remove all markup and keep only the plain text content
100% Private
Everything runs in your browser — your HTML never leaves your device
Mobile Friendly
Works on Android, iPhone, tablets — no app required
HTML Encoding vs URL Encoding — What's the Difference?
These two are often confused but solve different problems. HTML encoding converts characters that have special meaning inside HTML markup — like <, > and & — into entities so a browser renders them as visible text instead of parsing them as tags. URL encoding (percent-encoding) converts characters that aren't safe inside a URL — like spaces and ? — into %20-style sequences so the address can be transmitted correctly. If you need to encode a link or query string rather than page content, use a dedicated URL encoder instead of this HTML entity tool.
Why HTML Encoding Matters for Security (XSS Prevention)
When user-submitted text is inserted into a web page without encoding, a browser can interpret characters like < and > as real markup rather than plain text. An attacker can exploit this by submitting a payload such as a script tag, which the browser then executes — this is the foundation of Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks. Encoding untrusted input before displaying it — using the "Escape Tags" mode in this tool — ensures special characters always render as visible text, never as executable code. This is why HTML encoding is considered a baseline defense in secure web development.
Named vs Decimal vs Hexadecimal Entities
HTML supports three ways to reference the same character. A named entity like © is easiest to read but only exists for a limited, predefined set of characters. A decimal numeric entity like © works for any Unicode code point and is the most universally supported format. A hexadecimal entity like © represents the exact same character using base-16 notation, which some systems and style guides prefer. Browsers render all three identically — the choice usually comes down to your target platform's convention or an existing style guide.
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