How to Use the Plain Text to HTML Converter

Paste the text or HTML, choose the direction and copy the converted email.

Paste your plain-text email, or the HTML source of an email.
Choose the direction: plain text to HTML, or HTML to plain text.
Select Convert and check the preview or the converted text.
Copy the result into your email platform's HTML editor or plain-text field.

What the Plain Text to HTML Converter Does

The plain text to HTML converter applies a fixed set of rules in each direction, so the same input always gives the same output.

Plain Text to HTML Email

Blank lines become paragraphs and single line breaks become <br> tags, so the layout of your draft is kept. Characters such as < and & are escaped, and the result sits in a 600 px table with inline styles and a system font stack that mail clients render consistently.

Convert Text to HTML Link

Addresses that start with http:// or https:// become clickable links, and email addresses become mailto: links. Punctuation at the end of a sentence stays outside the link, while balanced parentheses inside a URL are kept.

Convert Text to HTML List

Lines that start with a hyphen, asterisk or bullet become a bulleted list, and lines that start with a number and a period become a numbered list. A numbered list keeps its first number, so a list that starts at 3 still starts at 3.

Convert HTML to Plain Text

The reverse direction removes the head, styles, scripts and hidden preheaders, then turns headings, paragraphs, lists and table rows into separate lines. Links become “text (URL)”, or only the URL when the text already shows it, and lines wrap at 78 characters.

Plain Text vs HTML Email

Plain text is universal and light, while HTML adds layout, links and images at the cost of size and rendering differences.

Plain Text vs HTML Email
Aspect	Plain text	HTML
Formatting	Line breaks and spacing only	Fonts, colors, columns and buttons
Links	Full URLs written out	Linked text, buttons and images
Images	None	Inline or remote images
Rendering	Identical in every client	Varies between Gmail, Outlook and Apple Mail
Size	A few kilobytes	Often 20 KB or more, clipped by Gmail above 102 KB

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Difference Between Plain Text and HTML?

A plain-text email contains only characters, so every client shows it the same way without fonts, colors or images. An HTML email is a small web page that can include layout, styling, images and buttons.

Which Is Better, HTML or Plain Text?

Send both in one multipart message whenever possible, because clients that cannot or will not show HTML fall back to the text part. HTML suits newsletters and branded messages, while plain text often feels more personal for one-to-one email.

How Do I Change Plain Text to HTML in Outlook?

In Outlook for Windows, open the message you are writing, go to the Format Text tab and select HTML. To make it the default, choose HTML under File, Options, Mail, Compose messages in this format.

Can You Convert Text to HTML?

Yes. Paste the text here with Plain text → HTML selected, and the converter builds a complete HTML email that you can copy or check in the preview.

Related Email Tools

HTML Email Preview Render pasted email HTML at phone, standard and desktop widths, and lint it for code that Gmail and Outlook drop. Email Signature Generator Create a table-based HTML signature with your details, brand colors and optional social links. Email Spam Checker Score email content against transparent local rules and see which wording deserves review. Email Disclaimer Generator Write a confidentiality, legal, GDPR, medical or financial email disclaimer with your company name, in plain text and HTML. AI Email Writer Turn your key points into an email draft from templates for five common messages and three tones, with no AI model.

Continue with the guide Email Signature Best Practices. Build a readable signature that travels well.