HTML Entity Encoder and Decoder
Convert special characters into HTML entities for safe use in web pages, or decode existing HTML entities back into their original characters. Supports named entities like ©, numeric decimal references, and hexadecimal references.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are HTML entities?
HTML entities are special sequences that represent characters which have reserved meaning in HTML or cannot be typed directly. They start with an ampersand (&) and end with a semicolon (;). For example, < represents the less-than sign (<) and & represents the ampersand itself.
What is the difference between named and numeric entities?
Named entities use a human-readable name like © for the copyright symbol. Numeric entities use the character's Unicode code point in decimal (©) or hexadecimal (©) form. Named entities are easier to read in source code, but numeric entities can represent any Unicode character.
When should I use HTML entities?
You must use entities for characters that have special meaning in HTML: < (less than), > (greater than), & (ampersand), " (double quote), and ' (single quote) when they appear in content or attribute values. Entities are also useful for inserting characters that aren't on your keyboard, like the copyright symbol or currency signs.