HTML to BBCode Converter
Paste HTML and get clean BBCode ready to paste into a forum post — formatting tags, links, lists, images, and quotes are all handled automatically.
Last updated: May 26, 2026
Find this tool useful? Support the project to keep it free!
Buy me a coffeeWhat is HTML to BBCode Converter?
BBCode (Bulletin Board Code) is the markup language used by phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo, and most other forum software. It uses square-bracket tags like `[b]`, `[url]`, and `[quote]` instead of HTML angle brackets, partly for safety and partly because it is easier for non-technical users.
When you need to take content from a CMS, web page, or rich-text editor and post it on a forum, you usually have to strip the HTML by hand. This converter automates the process: it parses HTML with the browser's DOM parser, walks the tree, and emits the equivalent BBCode. Inline styles like `color` and `font-size` are translated to `[color]` and `[size]` tags. Headings become bold + size. Blockquotes with a `<cite>` author become `[quote=Author]`.
How to Use HTML to BBCode Converter
Paste HTML into the input panel.
The BBCode equivalent appears instantly on the right.
Click Copy and paste into your forum post.
Common Use Cases
- Posting a CMS-exported article on a phpBB or vBulletin forum.
- Migrating content from a blog to a forum announcement.
- Converting HTML email signatures to BBCode for forum signatures.
- Taking rich-text editor output and pasting it into a forum post.
- Quickly stripping HTML formatting while preserving structure.
Example Input and Output
A short HTML snippet becomes BBCode with bold text and an inline link.
<p>Hello <strong>world</strong>!</p>
<p>Visit <a href="https://example.com">Example</a>.</p>Hello [b]world[/b]!
Visit [url=https://example.com]Example[/url].Privacy
All conversion happens in your browser. No HTML or BBCode is sent to a server.
Lossy conversion
BBCode is a smaller markup language than HTML. Complex tables, semantic tags (<article>, <aside>), and custom data attributes are flattened or ignored.