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HTML Decoder & Encoder

Encode special characters into HTML entities or decode HTML entities back into readable text instantly in your browser.

Updated

What is the HTML Decoder & Encoder?

Need to decode HTML entities or encode special characters for safe HTML output? This HTML Decoder & Encoder tool lets you instantly convert between plain text and HTML entities directly in your browser.

Whether you're debugging HTML, cleaning scraped content, working with CMS data, processing API responses, or preparing user-generated content, this tool helps you quickly transform text without installing software.

What can this tool do?

  • Decode HTML entities into readable text
  • Encode special characters into HTML-safe entities
  • Convert HTML strings instantly
  • Handle common entities like &, <, >, ", and more
  • Work entirely in your browser for privacy and speed

Common use cases

  • Decoding API or database content
  • Converting escaped HTML back to text
  • Escaping text for insertion into an HTML text node; this is not a general-purpose sanitizer.
  • Debugging HTML entity issues
  • Working with CMS exports and imports
  • Processing web scraping results

All processing happens locally in your browser, so your data never leaves your device.

How it works

HTML uses special characters called entities to represent reserved symbols and non-standard characters.

For example:

Character HTML Entity
< &lt;
> &gt;
& &amp;
" &quot;
' &#39;

Encoding HTML

When encoding HTML, special characters are replaced with their corresponding entities.

Example:

<div>Hello & Welcome</div>

becomes:

&lt;div&gt;Hello &amp; Welcome&lt;/div&gt;

Encoding text for an HTML text node helps prevent it from being interpreted as markup; it is not a general-purpose sanitizer.

Decoding HTML

Decoding performs the reverse operation.

Example:

&lt;div&gt;Hello &amp; Welcome&lt;/div&gt;

becomes:

<div>Hello & Welcome</div>

This is useful when content has been escaped during storage, transmission, or processing.

Why Use an HTML Decoder and Encoder?

Developers frequently encounter encoded strings when:

  • Working with APIs
  • Processing CMS content
  • Handling database exports
  • Debugging web applications
  • Displaying code examples
  • Rendering user-generated content

Using an HTML Decoder & Encoder allows you to quickly convert between readable text and HTML-safe entities without manually editing strings.

Examples

Decode HTML Entities

Convert encoded HTML entities into readable text.

&lt;h1&gt;Hello &amp; Welcome&lt;/h1&gt;
 
<h1>Hello & Welcome</h1>

Encode HTML Characters

Convert special HTML characters into safe HTML entities.

<script>alert("Hello")</script>
 
&lt;script&gt;alert(&quot;Hello&quot;)&lt;/script&gt;

Decode HTML String

Decode a string containing common HTML entities.

Tom &amp; Jerry &copy; 2026
 
Tom & Jerry © 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is an HTML decoder?

An HTML decoder converts HTML entities such as &amp;, &lt;, and &quot; back into their original readable characters. It is useful when working with encoded content from websites, APIs, databases, or CMS platforms.

What is an HTML encoder?

An HTML encoder replaces special characters with entities, for example < with &lt; and & with &amp;. This can help display text safely in an HTML text node, but escaping requirements differ by context.

How do I decode an HTML string online?

Paste your encoded HTML string into the tool, select Decode mode, and the readable text will be generated instantly in your browser.

How do I encode HTML characters?

Enter your text, switch to Encode mode, and the tool will automatically replace special characters with their corresponding HTML entities.

Does this tool support HTML entities?

Yes. The tool supports common named entities, decimal entities, and hexadecimal entities used in HTML.

Is it safe to use this HTML decoder online?

Yes. All processing happens locally in your browser. Your text is not uploaded to a server, making the tool fast and privacy-friendly.

Why are HTML entities used?

HTML entities are used to represent reserved characters and special symbols that could otherwise be interpreted as HTML markup by browsers.

Can I decode multiple HTML entities at once?

Yes. The tool can decode entire blocks of text containing multiple HTML entities in a single operation.

What's the difference between HTML encoding and escaping?

In most web development contexts, HTML encoding and HTML escaping refer to the same process: converting special characters into HTML entities to prevent them from being interpreted as markup.

When should I encode HTML?

Escape text for the specific HTML context where it will be inserted; this tool does not sanitize content for every HTML, attribute, script, or URL context.

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