HTML to BBCode
Convert between HTML and BBCode formats
Convert forum formatting in either direction. Swapping uses the current output as the new input.
Processed on this device. Your text is not uploaded.
Quick examples
Tag reference
HTML tags
- <strong>, <b> — Bold text
- <em>, <i> — Italic text
- <u> — Underlined text
- <s>, <strike>, <del> — Strikethrough
- <a href=""> — Links
- <img src=""> — Images
- <code>, <pre> — Code
- <blockquote> — Quotes
- <ul>, <ol>, <li> — Lists
- <font color=""> — Colors
- <font size=""> — Sizes
- <center> — Centered text
BBCode tags
- [b][/b] — Bold text
- [i][/i] — Italic text
- [u][/u] — Underlined text
- [s][/s] — Strikethrough
- [url][/url] — Links
- [img][/img] — Images
- [code][/code] — Code
- [quote][/quote] — Quotes
- [list][*][/list] — Lists
- [color=red][/color] — Colors
- [size=3][/size] — Sizes
- [center][/center] — Centered text
About HTML to BBCode Converter
Our free HTML to BBCode converter is a bidirectional conversion tool that instantly transforms HTML markup into BBCode format and vice versa. BBCode (Bulletin Board Code) is a lightweight markup language widely used in internet forums, message boards, and community platforms to format text safely without exposing the system to potentially harmful HTML.
Moving a blog post onto a phpBB or vBulletin board, or pulling a forum thread back into a website, comes down to translating tags. This HTML BBCode converter handles all common formatting elements including bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, links, images, code blocks, quotes, lists, colors, and text sizing.
The tool features real-time conversion, a swap button to reverse direction instantly, downloadable output files, and one-click clipboard copying. Your content is never uploaded, keeping it completely private and secure. It is an essential utility for forum administrators, community managers, and anyone working with BBCode-based platforms like phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo, or SMF.
Key Features
- Bidirectional conversion: HTML to BBCode and BBCode to HTML
- Bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough formatting support
- Link conversion between <a href> tags and [url] BBCode tags
- Image conversion between <img> tags and [img] BBCode tags
- Code block and inline code conversion
- Blockquote to [quote] tag conversion with author attribution support
- Ordered and unordered list conversion
- Color and font size formatting support
- One-click copy to clipboard and downloadable output files
- Quick example buttons for common formatting patterns
How to Use the HTML BBCode Converter
- Select conversion mode: Choose "HTML to BBCode" or "BBCode to HTML" from the dropdown menu depending on your source format.
- Enter your content: Paste your HTML or BBCode markup into the input textarea on the left. The tool comes pre-loaded with sample HTML for quick testing.
- View converted output: The converted result appears instantly in the output panel on the right, updating in real time as you modify the input.
- Copy or download: Click "Copy" to copy the converted text to your clipboard, or click "Download" to save it as a .txt or .html file.
- Swap direction: Click the "Swap" button to reverse the conversion direction, using the current output as the new input for back-and-forth editing.
Use Cases
- Forum posting: Convert HTML-formatted content from websites or editors into BBCode for posting on forums like phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo, or IPB.
- Content migration: Move content between web platforms (HTML) and forum platforms (BBCode) without manually rewriting formatting tags.
- Blog to forum republishing: Repurpose blog articles written in HTML for forum community discussions by converting to BBCode format.
- Forum to website migration: Convert BBCode forum posts and threads into HTML for display on websites, blogs, or documentation platforms.
- Community management: Forum moderators and administrators can quickly format announcements, rules, and guides using HTML editors and convert to BBCode.
- Template creation: Build formatted templates in either HTML or BBCode and convert between formats for use across different platforms.
- Learning BBCode syntax: Use the converter as a reference tool to understand how HTML tags map to their BBCode equivalents and vice versa.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is BBCode?
BBCode (Bulletin Board Code) is a lightweight markup language used in many internet forums and message boards. It uses square bracket tags like [b]bold[/b] instead of HTML angle bracket tags like <strong>bold</strong>. BBCode provides a safe way to format text without allowing potentially dangerous HTML that could be exploited for security attacks.
Which BBCode tags are supported?
The converter supports [b], [i], [u], [s], [url], [img], [code], [quote], [list], [*], [color], [size], and [center] tags. These cover the most common formatting needs for forum posts and message board content.
Does the converter handle nested tags?
Yes, the converter handles common nesting patterns such as bold text inside links, formatted text inside quotes, and lists within other elements. However, deeply nested or unusual tag combinations may require manual adjustment.
What happens to unsupported HTML tags?
HTML tags that do not have a BBCode equivalent are stripped from the output during conversion. The text content within those tags is preserved, but the formatting may be lost. Check the output carefully when converting complex HTML.
Tips & Best Practices
- Test with simple examples first: Use the quick example buttons to see how common tags convert before pasting complex content, especially when working with a new forum platform.
- Check forum-specific BBCode support: Not all forums support every BBCode tag. Check your target forum's documentation to ensure the converted tags are supported before posting.
- Clean up HTML before converting: Remove inline styles, CSS classes, and non-standard HTML attributes before conversion for cleaner BBCode output.
- Use the swap feature to verify accuracy: Convert your content, then swap and convert back to check that the round-trip conversion preserves your formatting correctly.
- Handle images carefully: Ensure image URLs are absolute (starting with http:// or https://) before converting, as forum BBCode [img] tags typically require full URLs.
- Preview before posting: Most forums offer a preview feature. Always preview your converted BBCode on the target forum to verify formatting before submitting the final post.