Smart Quotes Converter

Convert between straight and curly typographic quotes. Fix dashes, ellipses, and other typography - instantly.

Last reviewed: April 2026

Reviewed by Shannon Patterson, software engineer · last updated April 2026

New to this tool? Click here for instructions

Converts curly/smart quotes and apostrophes to straight ASCII characters. Safe for code and data.

Input

Output

Conversions Applied

From		To	Description

Paste text above to convert quotes.

How to Use the Smart Quotes Converter

The Smart Quotes Converter is a free online tool that helps you convert between straight and curly (smart) quotes, fix em dashes, en dashes, ellipses, and other typographic symbols. To use the tool, follow these steps:

1. Paste the text you want to convert into the left textarea.

2. Choose a mode: Straighten removes curly quotes; Curl adds them; Typography does both plus dashes and ellipsis.

3. Click the 'Convert' button.

4. The output will appear instantly on the right. Review the conversion count in the stats bar to see how many quotes, dashes, and ellipses were changed.

5. Copy or download the converted text using the buttons provided.

When to Use the Smart Quotes Converter

The Smart Quotes Converter is ideal for anyone who needs to ensure that their text is properly formatted for readability and compatibility. It is particularly useful when working with code, data formats, and any text that will be processed by computers. Additionally, it is helpful when preparing published content such as blog posts, press releases, and book manuscripts.

How it Works

The Smart Quotes Converter uses an algorithm to identify and convert typographic quotes, em dashes, en dashes, and ellipses. The tool distinguishes between opening and closing quotes based on their position relative to surrounding characters. It also handles apostrophes within words correctly. The Typography mode applies a full set of corrections used by professional typesetting software, including converting double hyphens to em dashes and triple periods to the Unicode ellipsis character.

Tips, Edge Cases, or Limitations

1. The tool is 100% client-side, meaning your data is never sent to a server. This ensures your privacy and security.

2. The tool works with text from any source, including Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and smartphone keyboards.

3. The Typography mode is ideal for professional typesetting, but it may require manual review for unusual constructions.

4. The tool does not support code beautification. For code formatting, consider using a dedicated code beautifier tool.

5. The tool is free and does not require any registration or subscription.

Frequently Asked Questions

Smart quotes are curved characters that visually indicate direction, while straight quotes are vertical marks. Using smart quotes for published prose, marketing copy, books, articles, and any text designed to be read by humans is correct.

You should straighten smart quotes when working with code, data formats, and any text that will be processed by computers. Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and most smartphone keyboards automatically replace straight quotes with curly quotes as you type, which can cause syntax errors or silent mishandling when pasted into commands or configuration values.

An em dash ( - ) indicates a strong break in thought or a contrast between two ideas. An en dash ( - ) indicates a range, such as page numbers (pp. 25 - 40) or date ranges (2020 - 2025).

Yes, the Smart Quotes Converter works with text from any source, including Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and smartphone keyboards.

Typography mode applies a full set of corrections used by professional typesetting software, including converting double hyphens to em dashes, the pattern space-hyphen-space to en dash with spaces, triple periods to the Unicode ellipsis character, and a standalone lowercase x used as a multiplication sign to the proper times symbol.