XML Unescape Tool

Decode escaped XML entities back into readable text or XML and validate the decoded result when it appears to be a real XML document or fragment.

Local-onlyNo uploadXML-aware
Advanced options
Local-only processing. Unescape decodes XML entities and revalidates only when the decoded result looks like XML.

How XML entity decoding works

XML unescaping restores characters from named entities such as < and &, and from numeric character references such as < or <. After decoding, the tool checks whether the result looks like XML and validates it only when that additional step is useful.

Why validation matters after unescape

Decoding entities does not automatically make content valid XML. A string may unescape cleanly but still contain invalid markup, broken nesting, or unescaped ampersands inside text nodes.

XML entity reference

<
<
&gt;
>
&amp;
&
&quot;
"
&apos;
'

Common developer use cases

  • Restore escaped XML fragments copied from logs, issue trackers, audit exports, or integration dashboards.
  • Decode XML content pasted from CMS systems, email templates, or rich-text tools that escaped markup for display.
  • Debug double-escaped payloads before validating or formatting them.
  • Recover readable XML examples from stored text fields or encoded configuration values.

Example conversion

Escaped input

&lt;name&gt;Starter &amp;amp; Pro&lt;/name&gt;

Decoded output

<name>Starter &amp; Pro</name>

Related tools

Switch to XML EscapeXML FormatterXML ValidatorXML ViewerXML EditorXML Node Counter

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the XML Unescape Tool do?

It decodes escaped XML entities such as &lt;, &gt;, &amp;, &quot;, &apos;, and numeric character references back into readable text or XML.

Does unescaping always produce valid XML?

No. Decoding entities only restores characters. If the decoded output looks like XML, the tool validates it and shows line-and-column diagnostics when it is not well formed.

When is XML validation useful after decoding?

Validation is useful when escaped XML came from logs, templates, CMS output, or stored text fields and you need to confirm the decoded result is still valid XML before using it elsewhere.

Is my data uploaded anywhere?

No. Decoding, XML detection, and validation all run locally in your browser.