Decode HTML character references into ordinary text. Read escaped punctuation and symbols without executing the decoded markup.
How to use
Paste named entities or numeric references. Copy the plain text result. Decode only the layer you intend to remove from the source.
Example
& becomes &, and © becomes ©. <b> becomes the literal text <b>, not a live formatting tag.
FAQ
Does it remove HTML tags?
No. Decoding entities and stripping tags are different tasks. The output remains text in this tool.
Related tools
A practical task
Inspect the number of escape layers before decoding copied HTML. < represents an escaped entity string rather than a direct less than sign. Decode only the layer required by the system receiving the result.
Another useful question
Will decoded HTML run here?
The output is displayed as plain text. Treat it as untrusted if you later move it into a page template, because literal text can acquire meaning in a different context.
Details for interpreting the result
| Detail | Explanation |
|---|---|
| HTML character references | Character references such as & describe a character inside HTML. A reference can be escaped again when nested in another source. Decoding one layer is different from decoding every layer of a value. |
| HTML and plain text | HTML tags describe structure. Plain text displays characters without interpreting them as tags. Decide which result you need before removing markup, escaping brackets, or pasting output into an editor. |
| Escaping and sanitizing | Escaping represents special characters literally. Sanitizing removes or changes unsafe markup according to rules. Neither operation should be replaced by assuming that unknown input contains harmless display text. |
| Encoding and encryption | Encoding changes how data is represented so another system can read it. It does not require a secret key. Encryption protects information with a key, while hashing produces a digest for a different purpose. |
| Source boundaries | A summary or rewrite works from the material you provide. A URL alone does not supply the full article in this interface. Include the relevant passage and keep citations attached to the claims they support. |
| Preview boundaries | A restricted preview can block scripts, external images, fonts, and other resources. That keeps the preview separate from active page behavior, but it also means it is not a faithful copy of every production layout. |
| URL components | A URL contains structure such as scheme, host, path, query, and fragment. Characters that separate those parts differ from characters inside a value. Encode the right component rather than transforming the full address blindly. |