HTML Entity Encoder / Decoder

The HTML Entity Encoder / Decoder converts special characters to their HTML entity equivalents (e.g., & → &, < → <) and reverses the process instantly. It's built for developers, content editors, and technical writers who need to safely embed user-generated content, code snippets, or special symbols in HTML without breaking markup.

Configuration

Content

Input Text

Mode

Encoding Scope

Encode Quote Characters (", ')Prefer Named Entities (e.g. & over &)

Tool Panel Title

Design

Accent Color

Panel Theme

Code Font Size (px)

Panel Border Radius (px)

Layout

Panel Layout

Show Character & Entity Count SummaryShow Line Numbers in Output

How to Use

1. Paste or type your raw text or HTML-encoded string into the input textarea and choose Encode or Decode mode. 2. Select which character sets to encode — all characters, only HTML-unsafe characters, or extended ASCII — and toggle options like encoding quotes or numeric entities. 3. Preview the transformed output in real time in the result panel, with a character count and entity count summary. 4. Click Copy to Clipboard to grab the encoded/decoded string, or use Download to save it as a .txt file.

Why Use This Tool?

Manually encoding HTML entities is error-prone and slow — one missed ampersand or angle bracket can break an entire template or expose an XSS vulnerability. This tool handles the full encoding spec with zero dependencies, works entirely in your browser so nothing is sent to a server, and is faster than reaching for a reference table or writing a one-off script.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the HTML Entity Encoder / Decoder?

It's a browser-based tool that converts special characters like <, >, &, and " into their safe HTML entity forms (<, >, &, ") and can reverse the process — decoding entity strings back into readable text.

When should I encode vs. decode HTML entities?

Encode when you need to display raw code or user-submitted text inside HTML — for example, showing a <script> tag literally on a page without it executing, or storing content in a database that will be rendered later. Decode when you receive an API response or CMS export that contains escaped entities (like & or ') and you need the human-readable or processable version. Always encode output, never trust that input is already safe.

Is it free?

Yes — the HTML Entity Encoder / Decoder is completely free with no signup required. Built by the CanvasBuilder.co team.