🔤 HTML Encoder – Convert Text to Safe HTML Entities
When displaying text in HTML documents, certain characters can cause problems if they're not properly encoded. The HTML Encoder tool converts special characters into HTML entities so they can be safely displayed in web pages without breaking the HTML structure.
This guide explains what HTML encoding is, how it works, and walks you through using our free online HTML encoder tool to ensure your content displays correctly on websites.
📘 What Is HTML Encoding?
HTML encoding, also known as HTML escaping, is a method to convert special characters into HTML entities so they can be safely displayed in web pages. It prevents characters like <, >, &, ", and ' from being interpreted as HTML code, which could break page layout or create security vulnerabilities.
For example, the less-than sign (<) is encoded as "<", the ampersand (&) becomes "&", and the double quote (") becomes """.
⚙️ How the HTML Encoder Tool Works
Our HTML encoder tool lets you instantly convert any text into HTML-safe entities — all right in your browser. It works in real-time and ensures your data stays private by processing everything locally without sending data to any server.
🧩 Key Features
- ⚡ Instant encoding as you type
- 🔐 Client-side only — no data is ever uploaded
- 📋 Copy to clipboard with one click
- 🔄 Multiple encoding modes for different use cases
- 📱 Mobile and desktop-friendly interface
🔣 HTML Entity Encoding Modes
Our tool offers several encoding modes to suit different needs:
- Named Entities (Basic) - Converts special characters to named HTML entities (e.g., < for <). Most readable and widely supported.
- Decimal Entities (Special Chars) - Converts special and non-ASCII characters to decimal HTML entities (e.g., < for <).
- Decimal Entities (All Chars) - Converts all characters to decimal HTML entities. Useful for maximum compatibility.
- Hex Entities (Special Chars) - Converts special and non-ASCII characters to hexadecimal HTML entities (e.g., < for <).
- Hex Entities (All Chars) - Converts all characters to hexadecimal HTML entities. Useful for certain technical applications.
- For HTML Attributes - Special encoding for use in HTML attributes, including handling of line breaks and tabs.
💡 Practical Uses of HTML Encoding
- 🔍 Displaying user-generated content safely on websites
- 📝 Showing HTML code examples as text rather than rendered HTML
- 🌐 Embedding text in HTML attributes
- 🔤 Preventing XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attacks
- 📊 Creating valid HTML when dynamically generating web pages
For example, if you want to display the HTML code <div class="example"> as text on a webpage, you would encode it as <div class="example"> to ensure it's displayed correctly.
✅ Benefits of Using HTML Encoding
- ✔️ Prevents HTML parsing errors
- ✔️ Makes special characters safe for display in HTML
- ✔️ Helps protect against XSS security vulnerabilities
- ✔️ Ensures consistent display across browsers
- ✔️ Preserves the original meaning of special characters
⚠️ Characters That Need HTML Encoding
The following characters should always be encoded in HTML:
- ❌ Less than (<) - Encoded as < or <
- ❌ Greater than (>) - Encoded as > or >
- ❌ Ampersand (&) - Encoded as & or &
- ❌ Double quote (") - Encoded as " or "
- ❌ Single quote (') - Encoded as '
📋 HTML Encoding Examples
| Original Character | Named Entity | Decimal Entity | Hex Entity |
|---|---|---|---|
| < | < | < | < |
| > | > | > | > |
| & | & | & | & |
| " | " | " | " |
| ' | No named entity | ' | ' |
| © | © | © | © |