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HTML Entity Encoder/Decoder

Convert special characters to HTML entities and back.

How to Use

  1. Paste HTML or plain text.
  2. Click Encode or Decode.
  3. Copy the result.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Does it handle all Unicode characters?

Yes, it encodes all special and Unicode characters to their HTML entities.

HTML Encoder Guide: Convert Special Characters to Entities Safely

Raw special characters in HTML can break layouts or expose cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. An HTML encoder converts them into named or numbered entities so your content renders exactly as written.

If you have ever seen raw JavaScript execute on a page because someone submitted a comment with a script tag, you already understand why HTML encoding matters. An HTML encoder sanitizes user input and special characters so browsers treat them as text, not code.

What Is an HTML Encoder?

An HTML encoder scans text for characters that have special meaning in HTML, such as <, >, &, and ". It replaces each with the corresponding named or numeric entity. For example, < becomes < and & becomes &amp;. The browser renders the visual character while keeping the document structure intact.

Use Cases

  • User comments – Prevent XSS by encoding input before echoing it into the DOM.
  • Email templates – Ensure special characters render correctly across clients.
  • CMS exports – Clean content that was pasted from Word or PDF with smart quotes.
  • Code documentation – Display HTML examples inside a tutorial without executing them.

How to Use Our HTML Encoder

  1. Paste the text you need to encode into the input area.
  2. Choose named entities for readability or numeric for strict XML compliance.
  3. Click encode and copy the escaped output.
  4. Use the decode tab to reverse entities back to plain text when needed.

Tips for Maximum Impact

  • Encode all user input before inserting it into HTML, not just obvious fields like comments.
  • Use attribute-specific encoding when placing values inside href or src attributes.
  • Numeric entities are more portable across older browsers and XML parsers.
  • Remember that encoding is not a substitute for a content security policy; layer your defenses.

Ready to try it?

Use our free HTML Entity Encoder/Decoder now. No signup required.

Related Tools

  • URL Encoder — Encode and decode URLs and query parameters safely.
  • Base64 Encoder — Encode and decode Base64 strings and files.

External Resources