HTML to Text Converter

Convert HTML markup to clean, readable plain text. Strip HTML tags, decode entities, and extract text content while preserving formatting and structure.

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Conversion Options

Sample Examples

Basic HTML Document
HTML with headings, paragraphs, lists, and links
Article with Styling
Complex HTML with classes, styles, and entities
HTML Table
Table structure with headers and data
HTML Form
Form elements with inputs and labels

About HTML to Text Converter

The HTML to Text Converter is a powerful online tool that extracts plain text content from HTML markup. Whether you're working with HTML snippets, full web pages, or complex documents, our converter strips away all HTML tags while preserving the readable text content and maintaining proper formatting structure.

This tool is essential for content extraction, web scraping preparation, email template conversion, and any scenario where you need clean, readable text from HTML sources. The converter handles HTML entities, preserves line breaks, and offers customizable options to suit your specific needs.

Key Features of Our HTML to Text Tool

Complete Tag Removal

Strips all HTML tags including div, span, p, h1-h6, table, form elements, and more while preserving the text content.

Entity Decoding

Converts HTML entities like &, <, >, " back to their readable character equivalents.

Format Preservation

Maintains paragraph breaks, line spacing, and text structure for better readability of the converted text.

Link Handling

Option to preserve link URLs by displaying them alongside the link text for reference.

File Upload Support

Upload HTML files directly or use drag-and-drop functionality for quick conversion of entire documents.

Mobile Responsive

Works perfectly on all devices - desktop, tablet, and mobile with an optimized user interface.

How to Use the HTML to Text Converter

  1. Input HTML: Paste your HTML code into the input textarea or upload an HTML file using the upload button or drag-and-drop feature.
  2. Configure Options: Choose your conversion preferences:
    • Preserve line breaks for better formatting
    • Decode HTML entities for readable characters
    • Remove extra spaces for cleaner output
    • Show link URLs to preserve link information
  3. Convert: Click the "Convert to Text" button to process your HTML and extract the plain text.
  4. Copy Results: Use the copy button to copy the converted text to your clipboard for use in other applications.

Common Use Cases for HTML to Text Conversion

Content Migration

When migrating content between different platforms or CMS systems, extract clean text from HTML to avoid formatting conflicts and ensure compatibility across different systems.

Email Template Conversion

Convert HTML email templates to plain text versions for better deliverability, accessibility compliance, and compatibility with email clients that don't support HTML.

Web Scraping Preparation

Clean HTML content before processing with text analysis tools, natural language processing applications, or data mining operations.

Document Processing

Extract readable content from HTML documents for indexing, searching, content analysis, or integration with document management systems.

Accessibility Compliance

Create plain text alternatives for screen readers and assistive technologies from HTML content to improve website accessibility.

Content Analysis

Prepare HTML content for word counting, readability analysis, SEO content review, or other text-based metrics and analytical tools.

Data Export

Extract text content from HTML for export to databases, spreadsheets, or other data processing applications that require plain text format.

HTML Elements Supported

Our HTML to Text converter properly handles a comprehensive range of HTML elements and converts them to readable plain text:

Text Elements

  • Headings (h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6)
  • Paragraphs (p)
  • Text formatting (strong, em, b, i, u)
  • Line breaks (br)
  • Horizontal rules (hr)
  • Preformatted text (pre)
  • Code blocks (code)

List Elements

  • Unordered lists (ul, li)
  • Ordered lists (ol, li)
  • Definition lists (dl, dt, dd)
  • Nested lists

Table Elements

  • Tables (table, tr, td, th)
  • Table headers (thead, tbody, tfoot)
  • Column groups (colgroup, col)
  • Table captions (caption)

Interactive Elements

  • Links (a)
  • Form elements (form, input, textarea, select)
  • Buttons (button)
  • Labels (label)
  • Fieldsets (fieldset, legend)

Structural Elements

  • Divisions (div)
  • Spans (span)
  • Sections (section, article, aside)
  • Headers and footers (header, footer)
  • Navigation (nav)
  • Main content (main)

Media Elements

  • Images (img) - alt text extracted
  • Videos (video) - text content extracted
  • Audio (audio) - text content extracted
  • Figures (figure, figcaption)

HTML Entity Conversion Reference

The converter automatically handles common HTML entities and converts them to readable characters. Here's a reference of the most commonly converted entities:

HTML Entity Character Description
&&Ampersand
&lt;<Less than
&gt;>Greater than
&quot;"Quotation mark
&apos;'Apostrophe
&nbsp; Non-breaking space
&copy;©Copyright symbol
&reg;®Registered trademark
&trade;™Trademark symbol
&euro;€Euro symbol
&pound;£Pound sterling
&yen;¥Yen symbol

Best Practices for HTML to Text Conversion

  • Clean HTML Input: Well-formed HTML produces better text extraction results. Ensure your HTML is properly structured with opening and closing tags.
  • Check Conversion Options: Adjust the conversion options based on your specific needs. Enable entity decoding for readable characters and preserve line breaks for better formatting.
  • Preview Output: Always review the converted text to ensure it meets your requirements and maintains the intended meaning and structure.
  • File Size Considerations: For large HTML files, consider breaking them into smaller chunks for better performance and easier processing.
  • Character Encoding: Ensure your HTML uses proper character encoding (UTF-8 recommended) to avoid issues with special characters and international text.
  • Nested Elements: The converter handles nested HTML elements properly, extracting text from deeply nested structures while maintaining readability.
  • Link Preservation: Use the "Show Link URLs" option when you need to preserve link destinations in the converted text for reference purposes.
  • Whitespace Management: Enable "Remove Extra Spaces" to clean up formatting inconsistencies and create more readable output text.

Technical Specifications

Supported Input Formats

  • HTML5 documents and snippets
  • XHTML documents
  • HTML fragments and partial documents
  • Inline HTML code
  • HTML files (.html, .htm extensions)

Processing Capabilities

  • Maximum file size: 5MB
  • Supports all modern HTML elements
  • Handles nested and complex structures
  • Preserves text content hierarchy
  • Processes HTML entities and special characters

Output Features

  • Clean plain text format
  • Configurable whitespace handling
  • Optional link URL preservation
  • Maintains paragraph structure
  • Real-time character and word counting

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of HTML can I convert?

You can convert any valid HTML content including complete web pages, HTML snippets, email templates, and HTML fragments. The tool supports HTML5, XHTML, and older HTML standards.

Does the tool preserve formatting?

The converter extracts plain text while optionally preserving paragraph breaks and line structure. You can control formatting preservation through the conversion options.

Can I convert HTML files?

Yes, you can upload HTML files directly using the upload button or drag-and-drop functionality. Files up to 5MB are supported.

Are HTML entities converted?

Yes, the tool automatically converts HTML entities like &amp;, &lt;, &gt; to their readable character equivalents when the "Decode HTML Entities" option is enabled.

Is my data secure?

Yes, all conversion happens locally in your browser using client-side JavaScript. No data is sent to our servers, ensuring complete privacy and security.

Can I preserve link URLs?

Yes, enable the "Show Link URLs" option to include link destinations in parentheses after the link text in the converted output.

Does it work on mobile devices?

Absolutely! The tool is fully responsive and works perfectly on smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers with an optimized interface for each device type.

Related Tools and Resources

Enhance your web development and content processing workflow with these complementary tools:

Text Processing Tools

Code Processing Tools

Conversion Tools

Privacy and Security

Your privacy and data security are our top priorities. The HTML to Text Converter operates entirely within your browser using client-side JavaScript technology. This means:

  • No Data Transmission: Your HTML content never leaves your device or browser
  • No Server Processing: All conversion happens locally on your computer
  • No Data Storage: We don't store, log, or retain any of your input or output data
  • Complete Privacy: Safe to use with sensitive or confidential HTML content
  • Offline Capable: The tool works even without an internet connection once loaded

This client-side approach ensures maximum security and privacy while providing fast, reliable HTML to text conversion for all your needs.