Text to HTML Paragraphs
Paste text and get web page code. Blank lines become paragraphs, single line breaks become breaks, and special characters are converted so the text shows as typed.
Worked examples
Paragraphs and a line break
First paragraph. Second paragraph with a line break.
<p>First paragraph.</p> <p>Second paragraph<br> with a line break.</p>
The blank line makes a new paragraph and the single break becomes a br tag.
Special characters
Tom & Jerry: 2 < 3
<p>Tom & Jerry: 2 < 3</p>
The ampersand and the less than sign are converted.
About Text to HTML Paragraphs
Pages on the web are built from tags, and plain text has none. If you paste an article from a document straight into a page, the paragraphs run together. Adding paragraph tags by hand to every block is slow, and special characters need care. This tool converts plain text into clean HTML paragraphs in one step.
A blank line starts a new paragraph. A single line break inside a paragraph becomes a line break tag, or a space if your text was wrapped by an email or a program. The characters &, < and > are converted so that text containing code, comparisons or the word AT&T displays as typed and cannot be read as live markup. Web addresses can be turned into links, with trailing full stops and closing brackets left outside the link. Accents and emoji pass through unchanged.
How to use Text to HTML Paragraphs
- Paste your plain text into the box.
- Choose whether single line breaks become line break tags or spaces.
- Tick the option to turn web addresses into links if you want it.
- Copy the HTML and paste it into your page.
Common uses
- Putting an article from a document into a web page
- Making an email or newsletter body from plain text
- Showing text that contains angle brackets or ampersands correctly
- Converting a list of messages or comments into paragraphs
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a new paragraph?
One or more empty lines. Several empty lines in a row still make a single paragraph break.
Why are & and < changed in the output?
In HTML those characters have special meanings. They are written as & and < so a browser shows them as text instead of treating them as code.
Can it make links?
Yes. Tick the option and any address starting with http or https becomes a link. Full stops, commas and closing brackets at the end of an address are kept outside the link.
Does it add a whole page?
No, only the paragraphs. Paste the result inside the body of your page or your editor's code view.