CommandDialog

Command dialog

HTML Escape / Unescape

Escapes or unescapes an HTML file removing traces of offending characters that could be wrongfully interpreted as markup.

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What Is an HTML Escape / Unescape Tool?

In web development and content creation, you often encounter a common issue: when you paste HTML code directly into a web page, the browser interprets it as executable markup rather than displaying it as plain text. To solve this problem, HTML Escaping is used:

  • HTML Escape: The process of converting special or reserved characters in HTML (such as <, >, and &) into their corresponding HTML entities (for example, &lt;, &gt;, and &amp;). This ensures the browser treats the content as text instead of executable code.
  • HTML Unescape: The reverse operation, which converts HTML entities back into their original characters.

Why Do You Need an HTML Escape Tool?

1. Ensure Code Snippets Display Correctly

When writing technical blogs or tutorials, you may want to display a snippet such as <div>. Without escaping, the browser will render it as an actual HTML element, potentially breaking the layout or making the code invisible.

2. Improve Web Security (XSS Protection)

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is one of the most common web security vulnerabilities. Escaping user-generated input helps prevent malicious scripts from being injected and executed, protecting both your website and your users.

3. Data Storage and Sanitization

When storing raw HTML in databases, encoding is often required to avoid breaking XML or JSON structures and to ensure data integrity during storage and transmission.

Why Choose Our Online HTML Escape / Unescape Tool?

  • Completely Free and Unlimited: No registration, no subscriptions, and no usage limits. Open the page and start using it instantly.
  • Real-Time, Millisecond-Level Response: Conversion happens immediately as you type or paste, eliminating unnecessary clicks and waiting.
  • Developer-Friendly Workflow: One-click copy functionality fits seamlessly into modern development workflows, from escaping to deployment.
  • Full Character Set Support: In addition to standard HTML5 core entities (<, >, &, ", '), the tool handles a wide range of special symbols and extended characters.
  • Maximum Security and Privacy: All processing is performed locally in your browser. No data is uploaded to any server, ensuring sensitive code or private information never leaves your device.

How to Use Our Online Tool

The interface is clean and intuitive. You can complete the process in just two steps:

  1. Select a mode: Escape or Unescape.

  2. Enter the content in the left input field.

    • In Escape mode, input raw HTML code, for example: <div>Hello</div>.
    • In Unescape mode, input escaped HTML, for example: &lt;div&gt;Hello&lt;/div&gt;. The right-hand panel will display the escaped or original HTML in real time.

Common HTML Character Escaping Reference

Original CharacterDescriptionHTML Entity
<Less-than&lt;
>Greater-than&gt;
&Ampersand&amp;
"Double quote&quot;
'Single quote&apos;

Frequently Asked Questions

What is HTML escaping, and why is it necessary?

HTML escaping is the process of converting special characters in code (such as <, >, and &) into their corresponding HTML entities. This prevents browsers from interpreting them as actual HTML tags, ensuring the code is displayed correctly as plain text. It is also a critical security practice for preventing XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attacks.

Does this tool store or log the HTML code I enter?

Absolutely not. This tool is built entirely on client-side logic. All escaping and unescaping operations are performed directly in your local browser. No data is uploaded to or stored on our servers, ensuring complete privacy and security for your code.

Is HTML escaping the same as URL encoding?

No. HTML escaping is used to safely display characters within HTML documents (for example, converting < to <), whereas URL encoding (such as converting a space to %20) is designed to make characters safe for use in URLs. They use different encoding rules and serve entirely different purposes.

Why does nothing happen after I paste my HTML code?

Please make sure you have selected the correct mode. Choose “Escape” if you want to convert raw HTML code into entities, or “Unescape” if you want to convert entities back into readable HTML. The tool supports real-time conversion, and the output will appear immediately in the result panel as you type or paste content.

How compatible is the converted output?

All conversion results fully comply with W3C standards. The generated HTML entities (such as & and ”) work reliably across all major browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, as well as in common code editors and Markdown parsers.

Can I convert large HTML files in bulk?

Yes. Since all processing is done locally on your device, the tool can efficiently handle very large blocks of text. You can paste the entire contents of an HTML file into the input field and receive instant results, without concerns about server timeouts or file size limits.

Why do some characters (such as single quotes) have multiple escape formats?

HTML characters can be represented using named entities (such as ’) or numeric entities (such as ’). This tool uses the most widely supported, industry-standard mappings to ensure optimal compatibility across different HTML versions, including both HTML4 and HTML5.