Runs locally

XML Unescape Tool & Entity Decoder

Decode escaped XML entities into readable tags and text without uploading the payload.

Browser-local

Input

Paste text to escape or unescape

75 charactersXML

Output

Escaped or unescaped output

<message priority="high">Ship & monitor</message>
Unescaped XML

How to unescape XML entities

Paste entity-encoded XML and select Unescape text. The workspace begins in XML mode and decodes the predefined XML entities plus valid decimal and hexadecimal character references.

Escaped XML example

&lt;status&gt;ready &amp; verified&lt;/status&gt; becomes <status>ready & verified</status>.

Decode first, then open XML Toolkit when you also need formatting, parser validation, XPath, or conversion.

Entity decoding is not XML validation

Unescaping changes entity text back into characters. It does not guarantee that the result has one root element, balanced tags, valid namespaces, or schema-compliant content.

XML unescape questions

Which XML entities are decoded?
The tool decodes the five predefined XML entities plus valid decimal and hexadecimal character references.
Does unescaping validate the XML document?
No. Entity decoding is a text transformation; use XML Toolkit afterward to validate the resulting document.
Is escaped XML uploaded?
No. The input and decoded output remain in browser memory.

What this XML Unescape does

Use this XML unescape tool to decode predefined XML entities and valid numeric character references into readable XML tags and text. It is useful when XML has been embedded in logs, JSON strings, message queues, or HTML output.

When developers use it

  • Decode XML fragments copied from API logs, SOAP messages, queues, and escaped configuration values.
  • Turn entity-encoded tags back into readable XML before formatting or validation.
  • Inspect nested payload text without sending the source to a remote decoder.

Privacy, input, and output

XML entity decoding runs entirely in browser memory. PayloadHarbor does not upload the escaped XML or decoded output.

Paste entity-escaped XML and choose Unescape text. The result decodes predefined entities and valid decimal or hexadecimal character references while leaving unknown or malformed entity text unchanged.

Validation rules and limitations

  • This tool decodes XML entities; it does not parse, validate, or repair malformed XML. Use XML Toolkit after decoding to check document structure.
  • Invalid character references, unknown named entities, and custom DTD entities are left unchanged.