Safely Handle HTML: Escaping and Unescaping Explained
When working with HTML, especially when displaying code snippets or user-generated content, it's crucial to handle special characters correctly. HTML escaping converts characters like `<`, `>`, `&`, `"` and `'` into their respective HTML entities (e.g., `<`, `>`, `&`, `"`, `'`). This prevents the browser from interpreting them as HTML code, which is essential for security (preventing XSS attacks) and for accurately displaying the intended text.
Conversely, HTML unescaping reverses this process, turning HTML entities back into their original characters. This can be useful if you have stored or received text that contains HTML entities and you need to render it as actual HTML or process the raw characters. Our free online HTML Escaper/Unescaper tool provides a quick and reliable way to perform both operations. All processing is done client-side for speed and privacy.
Using the HTML Escaper/Unescaper:
- To Escape HTML: Paste your plain text or HTML code into the input area. Click the "Escape HTML" button. The output area will show the text with special characters converted to HTML entities, safe for display.
- To Unescape HTML: Paste text containing HTML entities (e.g., `
Hello
`) into the input area. Click the "Unescape HTML" button. The output area will show the original characters (e.g., `Hello
`). - Convenience Buttons: Use "Paste Input" to quickly get text from your clipboard, "Copy Output" to grab the result, and "Clear Fields" to start fresh.
This tool is invaluable for web developers, content creators, and anyone who needs to manage HTML content safely and effectively. Ensure your web pages are secure and display content as intended with our easy-to-use HTML Escaper/Unescaper.