HTML Character Encoder
Encode HTML special characters or Unicode text as character references, and decode named or numeric HTML entities back into plain text.
Written and checked by TheToolNet Editorial Team · Last reviewed: October 11, 2026 · Editorial method
Encode or decode HTML entities
Named and numeric entities
Named references use readable labels such as & and <. Numeric references use a Unicode code point such as é for é. Browsers recognize the named references defined by the HTML Standard.
Encoding is context-dependent
Escaping text is not a universal substitute for safe HTML construction. Text nodes, quoted attributes, URLs, CSS, and JavaScript strings have different rules. Prefer DOM text APIs such as textContent and established templating auto-escaping when building an application.
Frequently asked questions
What does HTML decode online mean?
It converts strings such as <p> into the literal text <p>. This page displays the result as text rather than executing it.
Is Unicode the same as an HTML entity?
No. Unicode assigns characters and code points; an HTML character reference is one way to write a character in HTML source.