12 / html-entity-encoder
free online tool
HTML Entity Encoder
Encode and decode HTML entities to prevent XSS and display special characters safely.
Result will appear here...
how to use
- 01
Paste your text into the input field.
- 02
Click 'Encode' to convert special characters to HTML entities, or 'Decode' to reverse.
- 03
Copy the result.
about
What is this tool?
HTML entity encoding converts characters like <, >, &, and " into their safe HTML equivalents (<, >, &, "). This is essential for displaying user-generated content safely in HTML and preventing Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks.
why use this tool
- -Prevent XSS vulnerabilities when displaying user content.
- -Display code snippets safely in HTML pages.
- -Convert encoded HTML back to readable text.
- -Works entirely in the browser — no server involved.
features
- -Encodes all standard HTML special characters.
- -Decodes HTML entities back to plain text.
- -Handles named and numeric entities.
- -One-click copy.
comparison
Key HTML Entities Reference
| Character | HTML Entity | When You Need It |
|---|---|---|
| < | < | Displaying code snippets, angle brackets |
| > | > | Closing tags in visible content |
| & | & | Ampersands in text (e.g. 'cats & dogs') |
| " | " | Attribute values in double-quoted HTML |
| ' | ' | Attribute values in single-quoted HTML |
All processing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No files, text, or data are ever sent to a server. Your data stays on your device.
✦ tip from dragontail
At Dragontail, every piece of user-generated content goes through HTML entity encoding before it touches the DOM — no exceptions. The one time we skipped this step during a prototype, a tester immediately entered a <script> tag in a form field. It didn't cause real harm, but it was a wake-up call. Encode first, ask questions later.
faq
What characters are encoded?
The most important are <, >, &, ", and ' — the characters that have special meaning in HTML.
Does this protect against all XSS attacks?
HTML entity encoding is a crucial defence but not sufficient alone. Always combine with a Content Security Policy and proper input validation.
Is my text sent anywhere?
No. All encoding/decoding happens in your browser.