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HTML Escape

Convert reserved HTML characters into entities so text can be inserted safely into markup, templates, and snippets.

Best for: Show a code sample as text, Prepare user-entered content for output

Quick answer

Convert reserved HTML characters into entities so you can paste the result into markup, templates, or code examples without breaking the page.

Overview

HTML escaping changes characters that have a special role in HTML into their entity form, such as turning < into &lt; and & into &amp;. That lets you show text literally instead of letting the browser treat it as tags or attributes. This is useful when content contains angle brackets, ampersands, quotes, or apostrophes and must stay as text. It also helps when you need to place raw text inside an HTML document, a template file, or a documentation snippet without accidental rendering.

Use cases

  • Show a code sample as textDisplay HTML or template snippets in docs or tutorials without the browser turning them into real elements.
  • Prepare user-entered content for outputInsert names, comments, or support replies into HTML while preserving special characters as visible text.
  • Build safe template snippetsStore fragments that contain brackets or ampersands without risking accidental markup when pasted into pages.
  • Publish technical notes with literal symbolsKeep mathematical signs, comparison operators, and quoted examples readable inside web pages and knowledge bases.

How it works

  1. 1

    Enter or paste the text you want to escape.

  2. 2

    The tool converts reserved characters such as <, >, &, ", and ' into HTML entities.

  3. 3

    Copy the escaped result and use it wherever literal text must be shown inside HTML.

Examples

Escaping a simple paragraph tag

Input: <p>Tom & Jerry</p>

Output: &lt;p&gt;Tom &amp; Jerry&lt;/p&gt;

Angle brackets and ampersand become entities, so the text is displayed literally.

Text with quotation marks

Input: She wrote: "Use the 'safe' version."

Output: She wrote: &quot;Use the &#39;safe&#39; version.&quot;

Quotes and apostrophes are escaped for safe placement in HTML content or attributes.

Snippet with comparison signs

Input: if (a < b && b > 10)

Output: if (a &lt; b &amp;&amp; b &gt; 10)

Comparison operators and ampersands are preserved as readable text instead of markup.

FAQ

What characters does HTML escape typically change?

It usually converts <, >, &, double quotes, and apostrophes into HTML entities. Those are the characters most likely to be interpreted as markup in HTML.

Does escaping change the meaning of my text?

It keeps the visible text the same, but changes how the browser reads it. For example, &lt; is displayed as < while remaining safe in HTML source.

Why do quotes matter if I am not using attributes?

Quotes can still cause trouble in some contexts, especially when text is moved into attributes or template fragments. Escaping them early reduces mistakes when content is reused.

Can I escape HTML more than once?

You can, but double-escaping will turn already escaped text into visible entities such as &amp;lt;. If the output looks doubled, the text was escaped too many times.

What is a common mistake when using this tool?

A common mistake is using escaped text where real HTML is expected. Escaped output is meant to display as text, not to create elements or attributes.