HTML Entities Encode – Complete Guide & Free Online Tool
An HTML entities encoder converts characters like <, >, & and " into their entity codes, so they render as plain text instead of markup. Free online tool included.
Published 2026-09-13
What is HTML Entities Encode?
An HTML entities encoder converts characters like <, >, & and " into their entity codes, so they render as plain text instead of markup.
What is HTML encoding?
Special characters are replaced with entities: < becomes <, > becomes >, & becomes &, and quotes become " or '. This makes the text display literally.
Why it matters for security
Unescaped user input can break layouts or enable XSS. Encoding input before rendering it as HTML prevents scripts from executing.
Key Features
• Escapes the five main characters • Prevents XSS in output • Local processing
Examples
• <b> becomes <b>.
Common Use Cases
• Safe rendering • Preventing XSS • Displaying code
Tips & Best Practices
• Always encode user-generated content before inserting into HTML.
Limitations
• Encoding is for display; it does not sanitize other attributes.
External Resources
MDN: HTML Entities