HTML Entity Encoder & Decoder Tool

Safely encode text for HTML display or decode HTML entities back to readable text. HTML entity encoding prevents XSS attacks and ensures special characters display correctly in web browsers.

Operation Mode

Encoding Options

Encode all special characters

Essential mode only encodes dangerous HTML characters

Input Text

Enter text to encode as HTML entities

0 characters

HTML Encoded Result

HTML entity encoded result

Statistics

HTML Entities

+0%

Size Change

Quick Examples

Security & XSS Prevention

HTML entity encoding is essential for preventing Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks when displaying user content.

Always Encode:

• User input in HTML
• Database content display
• Form data output
• Comment sections

Critical Characters:

• < → <
• > → >
• & → &
• " → "

What is HTML Entity Encoding?

HTML entity encoding is a method of representing special characters in HTML using predefined character references. It ensures that characters with special meaning in HTML (like <, >, &) are displayed as intended rather than being interpreted as HTML markup.

Key characteristics of HTML entity encoding:

Named entities: <, >, &
Numeric entities: <, >, &
Hexadecimal entities: <, >, &
XSS prevention: Stops malicious script injection

Example: "<script>" becomes "<script>"

HTML entity encoding example showing dangerous HTML being safely encoded — HTML entity encoding for security

Features of Our HTML Entity Encoder Tool:

Real-time conversion - Instant encoding/decoding as you type
Dual encoding modes - Essential security encoding or comprehensive character encoding
XSS protection - Prevents cross-site scripting vulnerabilities
Unicode support - Handles international characters correctly
Named entities - Uses readable entity names when available
Numeric fallback - Converts to numeric entities for all characters
Entity statistics - Shows encoding metrics and character analysis
Safe processing - All operations performed locally in your browser

How to Use the HTML Entity Encoder Tool

1. Choose Operation Mode

Select "Encode to HTML" to convert plain text to HTML-safe entities, or "Decode from HTML" to convert HTML entities back to readable text.

2. Set Encoding Options

For encoding, choose between essential encoding (security-focused) or comprehensive encoding (all special characters) based on your requirements.

3. Enter Your Data

Type or paste your text in the input field. The conversion happens automatically in real-time.

4. Copy Results

Use the copy button to copy the converted text to your clipboard for use in HTML documents or web applications.

HTML Entity Encoding Examples

Original Text	HTML Encoded	Use Case
<script>alert('xss')</script>	<script>alert('xss')</script>	XSS prevention
AT&T Corporation	AT&T Corporation	Company name
"Hello World"	"Hello World"	Quoted text
Price: 5 < 10	Price: 5 < 10	Mathematical expression

Common Uses for HTML Entity Encoding

HTML entity encoding is crucial in various web development scenarios:

XSS prevention - Sanitizing user input to prevent script injection
Content display - Showing code examples in HTML pages
Form validation - Safely displaying user-submitted content
Email templates - Ensuring special characters render correctly
Database storage - Safely storing HTML content
API responses - Encoding data for safe HTML consumption
Comment systems - Preventing malicious HTML in user comments
Documentation - Displaying markup examples safely

HTML Entity Reference

Common HTML entities and their encoded equivalents:

Essential Characters

Special Characters

©©

®®

™™

€€

££

¥¥

°°

±±

Essential vs. Comprehensive Encoding

Essential Encoding

Encodes only characters that are dangerous or have special meaning in HTML.

Input:

<div>"Hello"</div>

Output:

<div>"Hello"</div>

Comprehensive Encoding

Encodes all non-ASCII and special characters for maximum compatibility.

Input:

Output:

Security Considerations

XSS Protection

HTML entity encoding is a crucial defense against Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks. Always encode user input before displaying it in HTML contexts.

DO: Encode user input: <script>

DON'T: Display raw input: <script>

Explore these related encoding and decoding tools:

URL Encoder/Decoder

Encode and decode text using URL percent encoding for safe URL transmission.

Try our URL Encoder tool →

Base64 Encoder

Convert text to Base64 encoding for data transmission and storage.

Try our Base64 Encoder tool →

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I use HTML entity encoding?

Use HTML entity encoding whenever displaying user-generated content, code examples, or any text containing HTML special characters in web pages.

What's the difference between named and numeric entities?

Named entities (<) are readable but limited to predefined characters. Numeric entities (<) work for any Unicode character but are less readable.

Does HTML encoding prevent all XSS attacks?

HTML entity encoding prevents XSS in HTML content contexts, but additional measures may be needed for JavaScript, CSS, or URL contexts.

Can I encode entire HTML documents?

You should only encode the content, not the HTML structure itself. Encoding HTML tags will prevent them from functioning as markup.

Why do I see numbers instead of characters after decoding?

This can happen with invalid entity references or incomplete numeric entities. Check that your HTML entities are properly formatted.

Technical Implementation

Our HTML encoder uses JavaScript with comprehensive entity mapping for accurate conversion:

// HTML Entity Encoding Implementation

function htmlEncode(text, encodeAll) {

if (encodeAll) {

return text.replace(/[&<>"'\/`=\u0080-\uFFFF]/g, function(match) {

return HTML_ENTITIES[match] || '&#' + match.charCodeAt(0) + ';';

});

}

return text.replace(/[&<>"']/g, match => HTML_ENTITIES[match]);

}

This approach ensures:

Comprehensive XSS protection
Support for both named and numeric entities
Unicode character compatibility
Flexible encoding modes for different security needs