HTML Entities

How to use it

1. Paste HTML or text into the left panel.
2. Pick a direction: encode turns special characters into entities; decode turns entities back into characters.
3. The result appears on the right instantly — copy it with one click.
4. The reference table below lists the most common entities with their names, numeric forms and characters.
5. Ambiguous input (mixed entities and raw text) is handled literally; invalid numeric references are reported instead of guessed.

Common use cases

• Escaping user content — turn < and & into < and & before displaying arbitrary text inside HTML.
• Reading minified templates — decode   and © back into readable characters.
• Writing code samples — produce escaped snippets that render correctly inside tutorials and CMS blocks.
• Symbol lookup — find the entity for arrows, math signs or typographic quotes without leaving the tab.

Why it stays private

Encoding uses plain string operations in browser memory. Nothing is uploaded, and the reference table ships with the page.

FAQ

Q: Does it convert all named entities? A: The encoder covers the XML-safe five plus common typography; the decoder understands the standard named set and decimal/hex numeric references.

Q: When should I use numeric entities instead of named ones? A: Numeric forms work everywhere and avoid name-coverage gaps; named forms are more readable. The table shows both so you can pick per context.

Q: Is escaping still necessary with modern templating? A: Templates escape automatically, but raw HTML contexts (attributes, code samples, feeds) still need manual escaping — that is exactly this tool's use case.