XML Unescape
Unescape XML entities back to their original characters instantly
Escaped Input
XML Output
Examples
Paste escaped XML entities into the input panel and the tool will convert them back to their original characters automatically.
Unescape XML Entities
Escaped input with XML entities:
Unescaped Output:
Click Sample to load example escaped XML and see the unescaped result instantly.
What is XML Unescaping?
XML unescaping (or XML entity decoding) is the process of converting XML character entities back into their original characters. For example, & becomes &, < becomes <, and > becomes >.
This is the reverse process of XML escaping. You typically need to unescape XML when reading or displaying XML data that was previously escaped for transmission or storage.
How to Use
Paste Escaped XML
Paste your escaped XML string (containing entities like &, <, >) into the input editor.
Review Output
The unescaped result appears instantly in the output panel. Use the XML Validator to confirm the unescaped XML is well-formed.
Copy or Download
Copy the result to your clipboard or download it as a file. See also XML Escape for the reverse operation, or HTML Unescape for similar HTML entity decoding.
When Does Unescaping Matter?
XML unescaping is needed whenever you receive XML data that has been entity-encoded — for example, from an API response, a database field, or a message payload. Forgetting to unescape can cause your application to display raw entities like & instead of the intended characters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What XML entities does this tool unescape?
This tool unescapes the five predefined XML entities: & → &, < → <, > → >, " → ", and ' → '.
Is XML unescaping the same as HTML unescaping?
They are similar but not identical. HTML supports hundreds of named entities, while XML only defines five. For HTML entity decoding use the HTML Unescape tool.
Can I also escape XML with this tool?
Yes — click the Toggle button to switch to escape mode, which converts special characters into XML entities.
Does this tool work offline?
All processing happens entirely in your browser — no data is sent to any server.
Related Tools
References: W3C XML Specification | MDN XML Introduction