How to use the HTML Entity Encoder / Decoder
Convert text to HTML entity references or decode entity references back to characters. Enter text in the left input area, select the needed options, and read the result in the read-only output area.
- Enter text: Type or paste text into the left input area. You can also use the upload button or drop a supported text file anywhere on the page.
- Choose Mode: Select Encode to create entity references or Decode to convert entity references back to text.
- Set encoding options: When Encode is selected, choose a Scope and Format.
- Read the result: The converted text appears in the read-only output area.
- Use the result: Select Copy or Download on the output panel. Download saves the current output as a UTF-8 plain-text file named
html-entity-result.txton this page.
Choose the encoding scope and format
The encode controls use the visible labels HTML critical, All named, and All non-ASCII. HTML critical encodes ampersand, angle brackets, and quotation marks; All named uses the built-in named-entity table; All non-ASCII encodes characters above ASCII. These rules are implemented by this page.
Choose one of the available output formats:
- Named: Uses a name, such as
&. - Decimal: Uses a decimal numeric reference, such as
&. - Hex: Uses a hexadecimal numeric reference, such as
&.
Use the Symbol Library
The Symbol Library appears above this article. Open the HTML, Currency, Math, Arrows, Typography, Greek, or Misc tab, then click a symbol to copy its entity code to the clipboard.
Limitations and unspecified behavior
Selected or dropped files are read in the browser with FileReader, and the shared upload implementation states that uploaded files do not leave the browser. This confirms the local file-handling workflow, but the inspected implementation does not establish broader page-level network or analytics behavior.
- Behavior for malformed, unknown, duplicate, or partially encoded entities is not documented.
- No confirmed file type or file size limit is shown on the page.
- Empty-input behavior and clipboard failures are not documented.
- Exact entity coverage and compatibility with XML, SVG, email, RSS, legacy systems, or other formats are not confirmed by this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between named and numeric HTML entities?
Named entities use a name, such as &. Numeric entities use a code point in decimal form, such as &, or hexadecimal form, such as &. The converter exposes all three output formats when Encode is selected.
When should I encode HTML entities?
Use Encode when you need to convert characters into entity references. Select the required Scope and Format, then inspect the output. The page does not define a universal security rule for every HTML context.
Can I use numeric entities instead of named entities everywhere?
The converter can produce decimal or hexadecimal numeric references, but this page does not confirm that one format is supported everywhere. Check the requirements of the document or system where you will use the result.
What does the 'HTML critical' scope encode?
HTML critical encodes ampersand, angle brackets, and quotation marks. Use All named for characters in the built-in named-entity table or All non-ASCII for characters above ASCII.