HTML Entity Decoder Online
Decode HTML entities and escaped references for debugging, scraping, and content migration workflows.
How to Decode HTML Entities to Plain Text
A straightforward workflow for converting escaped HTML back into readable content.
Paste HTML-Escaped Input
Add text containing HTML entities such as <, >, &, and " following HTML entity and WHATWG named character rules. The tool opens in decode-first mode.
Best Inputs
- Escaped HTML fragments copied from APIs or CMS exports.
- Database values stored with HTML entity encoding.
- Scraped content where markup is represented as entities.
Example Input
<div class="note">Hello & welcome</div>
Decode Entities Instantly
As you type, entities are converted to their original characters. This is useful for quickly inspecting original content before validating or reformatting based on W3C character reference syntax and broader character escaping guidance.
Common Entity Mappings
< -> <> -> >& -> &" -> "Example Output
<div class="note">Hello & welcome</div>
Copy, Download, or Switch Mode
Copy decoded output into your editor, export as file, or switch to encode mode when you need to convert plain text back into HTML entities while avoiding accidental XSS rendering issues.
Next-Step Options
- Validate resulting markup with the HTML Validator.
- Format output with HTML Formatter.
- Convert decoded content to text via HTML to Text.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is HTML entity decoding?
It converts escaped entities like & and < back to their literal characters as described in HTML specifications.
Is this the same as URL decoding?
No. HTML entity decoding handles entity references, while URL decoding handles percent-encoded URL segments defined in RFC 3986.
Is this processed server-side?
No. The conversion happens in-browser using client-side logic from standard Web APIs.
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