What is an HTML entity?

An HTML entity is a text representation of a special character — like < for < or & for &. Browsers decode entities when rendering HTML.

When should I encode HTML entities?

Encode when inserting plain text into HTML attributes or body content — especially characters like , &, and quotes that have special meaning in HTML.

Does this support numeric entities?

Yes. Both decimal (€) and hexadecimal (€) numeric entities are supported in decode mode.

How is this different from URL encoding?

HTML entities escape characters for HTML documents. URL encoding (percent-encoding) escapes characters for URLs and query strings. Use our URL Encoder for links.

No. Encoding and decoding happen entirely in your browser.

Developers

HTML Entity Encoder / Decoder

Q: When should I encode HTML entities?

Encode when inserting plain text into HTML attributes or body content — especially characters like , &, and quotes that have special meaning in HTML.

Encode and decode HTML entities online — &, <, ", numeric and named entities. Free and private.

100% client-side — your data never leaves this tab

Input

Use named entities (©, €, —, etc.)

Output

Encode special characters for safe HTML, or decode entities back to text.

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What is HTML Entity Encoder / Decoder?

HTML Entity Encoder and Decoder converts special characters to and from HTML entities — <, >, &, ", ', and extended named entities like ©, €, and —. Essential for safely embedding text in HTML, debugging escaped markup from CMS exports, and preparing content for the HTML Viewer. Encode mode escapes dangerous characters; decode mode restores readable text. 100% client-side.

HTML entity conversion runs entirely in-browser; text is never uploaded.

How to use HTML Entity Encoder / Decoder

1Choose Encode to escape special HTML characters, or Decode to convert entities back to text.
2Paste your input in the editor.
3For encoding, optionally enable named entities for symbols like © and €.
4Copy the output for use in HTML templates, emails, or documentation.

Examples

Encode

Becomes <a href="/search?q=fish&chips">Tom & Jerry</a>

<a href="/search?q=fish&chips">Tom & Jerry</a>

Decode

&copy; 2024 Acme &mdash; All rights reserved

Tips & common mistakes

Always encode user-generated content before inserting into HTML to prevent XSS.
Use numeric entities (€) when named entities are not supported.
Pair with HTML Viewer to preview encoded markup after decoding.
Decode CMS exports when you see literal & or < in rendered text.

Who uses this tool?

Developers escaping dynamic text for safe HTML insertion.
Content editors fixing double-encoded entities from WordPress or CMS exports.
Students learning HTML character encoding and XSS prevention.
Email developers encoding special characters in HTML templates.

Frequently asked questions

What is an HTML entity?: An HTML entity is a text representation of a special character — like < for < or & for &. Browsers decode entities when rendering HTML.
When should I encode HTML entities?: Encode when inserting plain text into HTML attributes or body content — especially characters like <, >, &, and quotes that have special meaning in HTML.
Does this support numeric entities?: Yes. Both decimal (€) and hexadecimal (€) numeric entities are supported in decode mode.
How is this different from URL encoding?: HTML entities escape characters for HTML documents. URL encoding (percent-encoding) escapes characters for URLs and query strings. Use our URL Encoder for links.
Is my text uploaded?: No. Encoding and decoding happen entirely in your browser.