HTML Unescape
Convert HTML entities back to their original characters. Decode escaped HTML from legacy databases, API responses, or CMS exports. Supports named entities (©), decimal numeric (©), and hexadecimal (©) formats with 60+ extended character mappings.
Escaped HTML Input
Unescaped Output
Recommended Settings
Pro Tips
- •Test with small samples first when unescaping large blocks of legacy data
- •Always validate and sanitize unescaped content before using it in production
- •Numeric entities (©) are more universal across systems than named entities (©)
- •Use the preview feature to verify that entities are decoded correctly
Most Popular
Batch processing for legacy CMS migrations, preview enabled for validation
When to Use This Tool
Restore original content from old database exports, CMS backups, or legacy systems that stored HTML with escaped entities. Perfect for migrating content from outdated platforms to modern CMS systems where entities need to be decoded for proper display and editing.
Clean up escaped HTML entities in JSON or XML API responses. Many APIs return data with encoded entities for safety, but you may need the original characters for display, processing, or re-encoding in a different format. Decode entities to work with raw text.
Convert escaped content back to editable format when importing from backups, exports, or migrations. CMS platforms often escape content during export, and you need to unescape it before re-importing to ensure proper rendering and prevent double-escaping issues.
Decode escaped email templates, automated messages, or notification content that has been entity-encoded for transmission. Convert encoded special characters back to readable text for editing templates or analyzing email content without entity clutter.
How It Works
Paste your escaped HTML or text containing HTML entities into the input textarea
The tool recognizes three entity formats: named (©), decimal numeric (©), and hexadecimal (©)
Click 'Unescape HTML' to decode all entities back to their original characters
Review the unescaped output in the right panel - line breaks and formatting are preserved
Optional: Click 'Show Preview' to see how the unescaped HTML will render in a browser
Read the security warning carefully if you're unescaping content from untrusted sources
Copy the output to clipboard or download it as an HTML file for use in your project
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Files never leave your device. All processing happens locally in your browser.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does HTML unescaping do?
HTML unescaping converts HTML entities back to their original characters. For example, < becomes <, & becomes &, and © becomes ©. This is the reverse of HTML escaping and is useful when you need to restore readable text from encoded content, such as legacy database exports or API responses.
What types of entities are supported?
This tool supports three entity formats: (1) Named entities like ©, ®, ™, <, > (2) Decimal numeric entities like ©, ® (3) Hexadecimal entities like ©, ®. We support 60+ extended entities including currency symbols, copyright marks, mathematical operators, and special punctuation.
Is it safe to unescape untrusted content?
No! Unescaping content from untrusted sources can introduce security risks, particularly Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities. If the escaped content contains malicious scripts (like <script>alert('XSS')</script>), unescaping will restore the executable code. Always validate, sanitize, and review content after unescaping, especially before using it in production.
When should I unescape HTML?
Unescape HTML when: (1) Migrating content from legacy systems or old CMS platforms (2) Processing API responses that return escaped entities (3) Restoring content from database backups or exports (4) Converting encoded email templates back to editable format (5) Cleaning up double-escaped content that was accidentally encoded multiple times.
What's the difference between named and numeric entities?
Named entities use descriptive names (© for ©) and are human-readable but may not be recognized by all systems. Numeric entities use character codes in decimal (©) or hexadecimal (©) format and are more universally supported across platforms. Both decode to the same character—numeric is more reliable, named is more readable.
How does the HTML preview work?
The preview renders your unescaped HTML using React's dangerouslySetInnerHTML to show exactly how it will appear in a browser. This helps verify that entities were decoded correctly and reveals the actual output. The preview is isolated within the tool, but you should still be cautious with untrusted content as malicious scripts could execute in the preview area.