HTML Encode Text
Convert text characters into safe HTML entities. Escapes <, >, &, and quote marks to prevent code execution.
Settings
Live Statistics
Continue with Related Tools
What is HTML Encoding?
HTML Encoding (or HTML Escaping) is the process of converting special characters that have meaning in HTML into their corresponding entity codes. This ensures browsers display the text as-is, rather than interpreting it as markup.
For example, if you want to show <div> on your website (instead of creating an actual div element), you must encode it to <div>.
Features
XSS Prevention
Neutralize malicious scripts by encoding all executable characters before rendering user input.
Code Display
Show HTML, XML, or any markup as visible text for tutorials, documentation, or debugging.
Quote Safety
Toggle to encode quotes, essential for safe attribute injection prevention.
Batch Processing
Encode hundreds of lines at once with line-by-line mode, perfect for logs or lists.
File Support
Upload `.html`, `.xml`, or `.txt` files directly and download the encoded result.
Client-Side Only
Processing happens in your browser. We never see, store, or transmit your data.
How to use
- Input: Paste HTML, code snippets, or any text with special characters.
- Configure: Enable "Encode Quotes" if placing text inside attributes.
- Result: Copy the encoded output and use it safely in your HTML source.
Example - Secure a Script Tag
Frequently Asked Questions
What is HTML encoding?
HTML encoding is the process of converting special characters into their HTML entity equivalents. For example, < becomes <, > becomes >, and & becomes &. This ensures browsers display the text literally instead of interpreting it as HTML code.
Why do I need to encode HTML?
HTML encoding is essential for three reasons: (1) Security: It prevents XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attacks by neutralizing malicious scripts in user input. (2) Display: It allows you to show code snippets or markup as text on a webpage. (3) Data integrity: It ensures special characters don't break your HTML structure.
Does this prevent XSS attacks?
Yes! HTML encoding is the primary defense against XSS. By converting <, >, ", and ' to their entity forms, you prevent attackers from injecting executable <script> tags or breaking out of HTML attributes to run malicious code.
What characters get encoded?
The essential characters are: & → &, < → <, > → >. Optionally (recommended for maximum safety), quotes are also encoded: " → " and ' → '. You can toggle quote encoding in the settings.
Can I encode multiple lines at once?
Absolutely! Enable 'Batch Mode' in the settings to process each line independently. This is perfect for encoding lists of HTML snippets, log files, or any multi-line data where you want to preserve line breaks.
What is the difference between encoding quotes and not encoding them?
If you're placing text inside HTML attributes (like <div title="...">), you MUST encode quotes to prevent attribute injection attacks. If you're only displaying text inside tags (like <p>...</p>), encoding quotes is optional but recommended for consistency.
Is my data sent to your server?
No. All HTML encoding happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. We never transmit, store, or log your text. This makes it safe to encode sensitive code, API responses, or user-submitted content.
Can I upload a file to encode?
Yes! Click the 'Upload' button to load a .html, .xml, .txt, or any text file. The tool will read the contents and encode them. You can then download the result as a new file.
What if I accidentally encode something twice?
Double-encoding happens when you encode already-encoded text. For example, < becomes &lt;, which will display as < instead of <. If this happens, switch to 'HTML Decode' mode and run it through once to reverse the extra layer.
How is this different from URL encoding?
HTML encoding uses entities (like <) for displaying content safely in web pages. URL encoding uses percent codes (like %20) for transmitting data in web addresses. They solve different problems: HTML for page content, URL for link/query parameters.