HTML to ASCII Converter

About HTML to ASCII Converter

Use this HTML to ASCII converter to turn complex HTML pages into clean plain text or ASCII art tables. The tool strips markup while preserving headings, paragraphs, lists, links, and tables, making it perfect for text-only emails, console output, logs, and documentation.

Key Features

• Smart HTML parsing: Converts headings, paragraphs, lists, links, blockquotes, and code blocks into readable text.
• ASCII table conversion: Transform HTML tables into box-style, simple, or Markdown-compatible ASCII tables.
• Formatting preservation: Maintain document structure with line breaks, separators, and basic emphasis (*bold*, _italic_).
• Configurable output: Choose whether to preserve indentation and select your preferred table style.
• Link-friendly text: Convert <a> tags into "Label (URL)" format so URLs are not lost.
• Instant conversion: Output updates automatically as you paste or upload HTML.

How to Convert HTML to ASCII

1. Paste or upload HTML: Insert your HTML snippet or upload an .html file from your site or email client.
2. Set options: Choose whether to preserve formatting and pick a table style (box, simple, or Markdown).
3. Review the ASCII output: Check headings, lists, and tables in the right-hand panel.
4. Copy or download: Copy the plain text/ASCII output or download it as a .txt file.

Examples

Example 1: HTML table to ASCII box table

Input HTML table:

<table>
  <tr><th>Name</th><th>Age</th></tr>
  <tr><td>Alice</td><td>30</td></tr>
</table>

Box table output:

┌───────┬─────┐
│ Name  │ Age │
├───────┼─────┤
│ Alice │ 30  │
└───────┴─────┘

Example 2: HTML email to plain text

A marketing email with headings, paragraphs, and links becomes a clean text version you can send as a "text-only" alternative or log to a file.

When to Use HTML to ASCII

• Plain text emails: Generate text-only versions of HTML newsletters and transactional emails.
• Console/terminal output: Show HTML content in CLI tools, logs, or chat bots.
• Documentation export: Extract documentation content from HTML into plain text or Markdown tables.
• Accessibility & archiving: Keep text-only archives of web pages for search, compliance, or screen readers.

FAQ

Does the converter keep images?

Images themselves are not rendered, but any alt text and surrounding captions can be preserved in the text output depending on the HTML structure.

What encoding does the ASCII output use?

The output is plain text using your browser's default encoding. Box-style tables use Unicode box-drawing characters; for strict 7-bit ASCII compatibility, use the "Simple" table style.

Can I get Markdown-friendly tables?

Yes. Choose the "Markdown" table style to generate tables that can be pasted directly into Markdown documents or GitHub READMEs.

Is my HTML uploaded to a server?

No. All HTML to ASCII conversion runs locally in your browser. Your HTML is never sent to any external server, which is important for private emails and internal documentation.

Privacy & Security

Everything is processed on your device using client-side code. No HTML, plain text, or files are stored or logged, making this HTML to ASCII converter safe for sensitive or internal web content.