Every web developer has been there: you need to display a block of HTML code inside a blog post, render user-generated content safely, or embed special symbols like copyright marks and arrows. Raw characters like <, >, and & have special meaning in HTML markup — type them directly and the browser interprets them as tags or syntax, not text.
That is why we built our free HTML Entity Encoder / Decoder. Paste any text and instantly convert special characters to their HTML entity equivalents, or decode entity-encoded text back to readable characters. Supports named entities, decimal entities, and hexadecimal entities. All processing happens in your browser — no signup, no server, no data transmission.
What Are HTML Entities?
HTML entities are special character sequences used to represent characters that have reserved meaning in HTML or that cannot be easily typed on a standard keyboard. Every entity begins with an ampersand (&) and ends with a semicolon (;).
For example, the less-than symbol < is written as < in HTML. If you typed < directly in your markup, the browser would treat it as the start of an HTML tag. The entity tells the browser: "display this as a literal less-than character."
There are three forms of HTML entities:
- Named entities: Human-readable names like
&for&,©for ©, and for a non-breaking space - Decimal entities: Unicode code points in base 10, like
<for<and©for © - Hexadecimal entities: Unicode code points in base 16 with an
xprefix, like<for<and©for ©
Named entities are the easiest to read and remember, but only a subset of Unicode characters have named equivalents. Decimal and hexadecimal entities can represent any Unicode character — over 149,000 code points.
Reserved Characters That Must Be Encoded
| Character | Named Entity | Decimal | Hexadecimal | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
& | & | & | & | Starts every entity; must be encoded first |
< | < | < | < | Starts HTML tags |
> | > | > | > | Ends HTML tags |
" | " | " | " | Used in attribute values |
' | ' | ' | ' | Used in attribute values (XML / XHTML) |
What Our HTML Entity Tool Does
1. Text to HTML Entities (Encoder)
Paste any plain text and click Encode to Entities. The tool converts the five reserved characters (&, <, >, ", ') to their named entity equivalents by default. Three optional modes give you more control:
- Encode all non-ASCII: Converts every character outside the basic ASCII range into a decimal entity. Useful for maximum compatibility with legacy systems and email clients.
- Encode quotes: Also converts double and single quotes to
"and'. Enable this when encoding text that will be placed inside an HTML attribute value. - Use hexadecimal: Outputs hexadecimal entities (e.g.,
<) instead of named or decimal entities. Preferred in some internationalization workflows.
2. HTML Entities to Text (Decoder)
Paste entity-encoded text and click Decode Entities. The tool handles all three entity formats — named, decimal, and hexadecimal — and converts them back to readable characters. If the input contains a mix of entity types, the decoder processes each one correctly.
If the decoder encounters an unrecognized or malformed entity, it leaves it unchanged rather than producing an error. This preserves partial input and makes debugging easier.
How to Use the HTML Entity Tool: Step by Step
- Open the tool: Go to HTML Entity Tool
- Choose a mode: Click the Encode to Entities or Decode from Entities tab
- Enter your text: Paste the text you want to encode or decode
- Configure options (encode only): Toggle "Encode all non-ASCII", "Encode quotes", and "Use hexadecimal" as needed
- Click Encode or Decode: The result appears instantly below the input
- Copy the result: Use the copy button to copy the output to your clipboard
Common HTML Entity Use Cases
| Use Case | Why Entities? |
|---|---|
| Displaying code in tutorials | Angle brackets in code examples must be encoded or the browser parses them as real HTML tags |
| XSS prevention in user content | Encoding < and > ensures malicious scripts are rendered as text, not executed |
| HTML attribute values | Quotes inside attributes must be encoded to prevent breaking the attribute syntax |
| Special symbols in text | Copyright ©, trademark ™, currency €, and arrows are easier to insert as named entities |
| Email template development | Many email clients render raw Unicode inconsistently; entity encoding improves compatibility |
| XML compatibility | XML is stricter than HTML about certain characters; encoding ensures valid XML output |
Named vs Decimal vs Hexadecimal: Which to Use?
For the five reserved characters, named entities are the standard choice because they are human-readable and widely supported:
<is clearer than<when reading source code&is clearer than&
For characters beyond the basic reserved set — currency symbols, mathematical operators, emoji, and non-Latin scripts — use decimal or hexadecimal entities because named equivalents do not exist for most Unicode characters:
- € =
€or€(named:€also exists) - 🔥 =
🔥or🔥(no named entity)
Our encoder defaults to named entities for reserved characters and decimal entities for everything else when "Encode all non-ASCII" is enabled. Toggle "Use hexadecimal" if your workflow requires hex format.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this HTML entity tool free?
Yes, completely free. No signup, no usage limits, no API calls. Everything runs in your browser.
Does this tool send my data to a server?
No. All encoding and decoding happens 100% client-side in your browser using JavaScript. Your data never leaves your machine. This makes it safe for sensitive content and proprietary code.
What is the difference between named, decimal, and hexadecimal entities?
All three represent the same character. Named entities use a human-readable name (e.g., <). Decimal entities use the Unicode number in base 10 (e.g., <). Hexadecimal entities use base 16 with an x prefix (e.g., <). Named entities are easiest to read; decimal and hexadecimal can represent any Unicode character.
Should I encode quotes in my HTML?
Encode quotes when they appear inside HTML attribute values that use the same type of quote. For example, if your input attribute uses double quotes, encode any double quotes inside the value. In regular text content, quotes do not need encoding.
Can I encode all non-ASCII characters?
Yes. Enable the "Encode all non-ASCII" option to convert every character outside the basic ASCII range into its decimal entity equivalent. This is useful for maximum compatibility with legacy systems, email clients, and databases that do not support Unicode.
Does the decoder handle malformed entities?
Yes. The decoder attempts to parse all standard entity formats. If it encounters an entity it does not recognize, it leaves it unchanged in the output rather than throwing an error. This means you can safely decode mixed or partially encoded text.
Try It Now
No signup, no installation, no server calls. Open HTML Entity Tool, paste your text, and encode or decode it instantly.
Looking for more free developer tools? Browse our full tools directory — including Hash Generator, Base64 Tool, and URL Encoder/Decoder.