HTML Encoder / Decoder
Encode and decode HTML entities online. Free HTML encoder/decoder — convert special characters to HTML entities and back.
Three steps to get started
Paste your text
Enter the text you want to encode (to convert HTML characters to entities) or the HTML with entities you want to decode.
Click Encode or Decode
Click "Encode HTML" to convert special characters to HTML entities, or "Decode HTML" to convert entities back to plain characters.
Copy the result
Click Copy to copy the encoded or decoded text to your clipboard.
HTML entities and encoding explained
HTML encoding is the process of converting characters that have special meaning in HTML into their entity equivalents so they display as text rather than being interpreted as markup. It is a fundamental requirement for web security and correct HTML rendering.
The five core characters that must always be encoded in HTML content are:
&(ampersand) →&<(less-than) →<>(greater-than) →>"(double quote) →"'(single quote) →'
Beyond security, HTML encoding is also used for:
- Displaying code: Show HTML source code on a web page without it rendering
- Email templates: Many email clients require entities for safe rendering
- CMS content: Store and retrieve HTML-safe content in databases
- Documentation: Write technical docs that include HTML examples
This tool also decodes a broad set of named HTML entities — including , ©, ™, —, –, and numeric entities like ©. All processing is done in your browser — no data is ever sent to a server.