HTML Unescape
Decode escaped HTML entities back into readable characters when you're reviewing copied markup or stored content.
Decode HTML entities such as ampersands, angle brackets, and quotes back into readable text.
Input
Paste your source text
Output
Decoded readable text
How it works
The tool decodes named and numeric HTML entities into the characters they represent.
It is useful when copied markup, logs, CMS exports, or API content has been entity-encoded.
Common use cases
- Inspect encoded CMS, email, or database content
- Decode snippets copied from logs, templates, or API payloads
- Turn encoded examples back into readable markup while reviewing docs
- Check escaped user-facing copy before editing or publishing
Frequently asked questions
What does html unescape do?
It converts escaped entities like & and < back into readable characters.
Is html unescape free to use?
Yes. You can use this tool for free without registration.
Does my text leave my browser?
No. The decoding is handled locally in this static page using client-side JavaScript.
Related tools
How to use
Paste escaped HTML entities and decode them back into readable text.
- Paste text that contains entities such as &amp;, &lt;, or &quot;.
- Click Unescape HTML to decode the entities in the browser.
- Copy the readable result for debugging, editing, or review.
Use cases
Use it when stored or copied content is hard to read because it has been entity-encoded.
- Inspect encoded CMS, email, or database content.
- Debug escaped snippets copied from logs, templates, or API payloads.
- Turn encoded examples back into readable markup while reviewing docs.
When this tool is useful
Decode escaped HTML entities back into readable characters when you're reviewing copied markup or stored content. HTML Unescape sits in the developer formatting part of the site, which focuses on regex, escaping, diffing, and text prep for technical workflows.
Use it when you need a fast browser-side review pass for technical text, markup, diffs, escaping, or regex behavior. Within that group, it leans toward escaping & testing tasks, so the page is tuned for quick single-purpose use rather than a long multi-step workflow. If this step is only part of the job, the most relevant follow-up tools are Json Formatter and Regex Tester.
Before you copy the result
- Verify the processed output against one realistic sample before trusting it for a bigger batch.
- Look for escaped characters, dropped whitespace, or formatting changes that matter downstream.
- If the output is close but not ready, move to a related formatting or review tool instead of patching by hand.
Example
A quick example of how this tool works.
Input
Sample input for HTML Unescape
Output
Processed output from HTML Unescape