Strip HTML and hidden characters
Remove pasted HTML tags, invisible characters, odd quote marks, and formatting leftovers from copied text. The cleanup happens locally in your browser.
When to use this
Copied text can carry more than the words you can see. It may include HTML tags from a web page, zero-width characters, non-breaking spaces, smart quotes, or formatting marks from a PDF or document editor. These characters can break forms, make content look uneven, or create strange behaviour when you paste into a website, email, spreadsheet, or publishing tool.
The Text Cleaner is useful before adding content to WordPress, Substack, a CRM, an invoice note, a spreadsheet, or an email template. You can paste the text, strip unwanted markup and hidden characters, then copy clean plain text back out.
How to strip unwanted formatting
Common mistakes
Do not paste cleaned text straight into a live page or email campaign without checking it first. Removing HTML is useful when you want plain text, but it can also remove links, headings, emphasis, and formatting you may have wanted to keep.
If you are cleaning content for a website, keep a copy of the original source. Clean the text, paste it into the editor, then reapply intentional formatting such as headings, links, lists, and bold text.
Before and after example
Before: copied website text includes tags like <p>, non-breaking spaces, curly quotes, and invisible characters. After: the output is plain text that is easier to paste into a CMS, email, spreadsheet, or document.
Privacy note
Text copied from private documents can include client names, drafts, notes, or commercial information. PDFTechnician processes the text in your browser rather than sending it to a server.
Related tools and guides
Text Cleaner · Remove extra spaces from copied text · Remove line breaks from copied PDF text
FAQ
What are hidden characters?
They are invisible formatting marks or control characters that can appear when copying from websites, PDFs, documents, or apps.
Can I strip HTML without uploading the text?
Yes. The Text Cleaner processes pasted text locally in your browser.
Will it preserve links and formatting?
No. This kind of cleanup is intended for plain text. Keep the original if you need to reapply links or formatting later.