JSON Unstringify Text
Paste a JSON string literal and get plain text back.
Plain text
How to unstringify JSON
Paste a JSON string literal, including its surrounding double quotes, into JSON string,
or press Load example. The plain text appears next to it and updates as you type.
Copy the result or download it as a .txt file. Everything runs in your browser,
so nothing you paste is uploaded.
Examples
| Input | Output |
|---|---|
| "hi" | hi |
| "a\nb" | a followed by a line break followed by b |
| 42 | 42 (number stringified) |
Limits and edge cases
- Non-string values are stringified, not rejected: numbers, booleans and null become their text form, while arrays and objects become compact JSON.
- Errors show the parser message with position hints, such as the unexpected character and its index.
- Surrounding whitespace is tolerated, so pasting with extra spaces or line breaks still parses.
- If the output still has backslash escapes, the value was stringified twice: run it through the tool again to unstringify the inner layer.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a JSON string to text?
Paste the JSON string literal, including its surrounding double quotes, into the input box. The plain text appears instantly in the result box.
What if my input is not valid JSON?
The tool shows an Invalid JSON string error with the parser message, which usually includes the position where parsing failed. Fix that spot and try again.
What happens with numbers, booleans, null, arrays or objects?
They are not rejected. Numbers, booleans and null become their text form, and arrays or objects are output as compact JSON.
Do I need the surrounding quotes?
Yes for text values. A JSON string literal must start and end with double quotes, so hi alone is invalid but hi in double quotes parses to hi.
Why is my text parsed twice by accident?
If your output still contains backslash escapes, you may have pasted a doubly stringified value. Run it through the tool once more to unstringify the inner layer.
Is my input uploaded anywhere?
No. Parsing runs in your browser with JavaScript and nothing is sent to a server. Inputs under 200 KB are kept in your browser's local storage so they are still there when you come back.