Regex Tester
Test regular expressions and highlight matches in real time.
Regex Escape
Automatically escape regex metacharacters in a string for safe use in patterns.
Input data is processed in your browser
Data is never sent to a server
Tool
What is Regex Escape?
In regular expressions, characters like . * + ( carry special meaning as metacharacters.
When you use user input or external data directly in a regex pattern without escaping, those characters can cause unexpected matches or errors. Regex Escape automatically escapes all metacharacters so the string is treated as a literal value.
How to Use
- Paste the text you want to escape into the input field.
- Choose a mode depending on where you will use the result.
- The escaped string is generated instantly.
- Click Copy to copy it to your clipboard.
FAQ
Which characters get escaped?
In standard mode, all regex metacharacters are escaped: . * + ? ^ $ { } [ ] ( ) | \ /. Inside character class mode, only ] \ ^ - / are escaped. Literal mode uses the same set as standard.
What is the difference between the modes?
Standard is for use in a general pattern context. Inside [ ] class is for content placed inside a character class. Literal string match escapes everything so the result matches only the exact input string.
Why is the forward slash (/) escaped?
In JavaScript, a forward slash delimits regex literals (/pattern/). Escaping it makes the output safe for both regex literal and new RegExp() usage.
Is my data sent to a server?
No. All processing happens entirely in your browser.
More Tools in This Category
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- Regex Replace TesterTest regex search and replace in real time with match highlights and capture group details.
- Regex ExplainBreak down a regex pattern into color-coded tokens with plain-language explanations for each part.
- Regex Cheat SheetA searchable quick reference for regex syntax — click any card to copy.