Free SQL Unescape Tool Online

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What is SQL Escaping?

You're staring at a SQL log or database export and you see O''Brien instead of O'Brien, or It''s a test instead of It's a test. That's SQL escaping in action — and this tool reverses it. SQL unescaping converts escaped SQL strings back to their original human-readable form. It's the reverse of SQL injection prevention escaping: instead of doubling quotes to protect against attacks, you're undoing that doubling to read the actual data. This is useful when inspecting exported .sql files, reading database logs, debugging stored procedures, or cleaning up data imported from external sources. The standard across PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, and SQL Server is to double single quotes — this tool handles that and backslash reversal. All processing runs in your browser via JavaScript, as described in the MDN String reference. Your SQL data never leaves your device.

The most common escape in SQL is doubling single quotes: a single quote ' becomes ''. Backslashes may also need escaping depending on the database.

How to Use the SQL Unescape Tool

Paste the Escaped SQL String

Copy the escaped SQL text and paste it into the input box. This is typically a string with escaped quotes like '\'hello\'' or doubled quotes like ''hello''.

Choose Escape Style

Select the escape format: backslash-escaped (MySQL/PostgreSQL style) or doubled quotes (SQL Server/ANSI style). The tool unescapes accordingly.

Copy the Unescaped Result

The unescaped SQL appears instantly. Copy it to use in your query, migration script, or documentation.

Example

Escaped SQL (backslash style):

Input SQL

Unescaped output:

Escaped SQL

When Do You Need to Unescape SQL?

Unescape SQL strings whenever you're reading data that was stored or exported in escaped form — database dumps, log files, or values copied from a SQL editor. Unescaping restores the actual content so you can read, search, or reuse it.

Need to go the other way? Use the SQL Escape tool to escape strings before inserting them into queries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does SQL unescaping do?

SQL unescaping reverses the escaping applied to SQL strings. It converts doubled single quotes '' back to ', and doubled backslashes \\ back to \. This restores the original string value from its escaped SQL representation.

When do I need to unescape SQL?

You'll typically need this when reading exported SQL dumps, inspecting database logs, debugging stored procedures, or when data has been escaped for storage and you need the original values for display or further processing.

Does SQL unescaping work for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server?

Yes for common cases. Single-quote doubling ('' → ') is the standard across all major SQL databases. Backslash reversal (\\ → \) is specific to MySQL and some others — MySQL string literals use it by default.

Is my SQL data sent to a server?

No. All processing runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your SQL strings never leave your device — there's no backend, no logging, no storage.

What is the difference between SQL escape and unescape?

SQL escape converts ' to '' (and \ to \\) to make strings safe for SQL queries — preventing SQL injection. SQL unescape reverses that: '' back to '. Use escape before inserting, unescape when reading back.