HTML Entity Encoder/Decoder
Convert special characters to HTML entities
Common HTML Entities (click to copy)
Frequently Asked Questions
What are HTML entities?
Special codes representing characters with HTML meaning. < for <, & for &.
Why use HTML entities?
Prevent XSS attacks and display issues. Characters like <, >, & must be encoded in web pages.
Named vs numbered entities?
Named use words (&), numbered use numbers (&). Both produce the same result.
What is the difference between & and & in HTML?
Both represent the ampersand (&) character. & is a named entity (easier to read), while & is a numeric entity (decimal). There is also & (hexadecimal). All three render identically.
When should I use HTML entities instead of typing characters directly?
Always use entities for < (<), > (>), & (&), and " (") to prevent HTML parsing issues. Use entities for special characters not available on your keyboard or to ensure consistent rendering.
About HTML Entities
HTML entities are used to display special characters that are reserved in HTML or characters that are not on the keyboard.
Encode: Converts special characters like < > & " to their HTML entity equivalents.
Encode All: Converts all characters to their numeric HTML entity form (&#xxx;).
Decode: Converts HTML entities back to their original characters.