Smart Quotes to Straight Quotes
Convert curly quotes (“ ” ‘ ’) and em dashes (—) into code-safe ASCII straight quotes (" and ') and standard hyphens (-).
Private. 100% Browser-based processing. Zero server storage.
How to Convert Smart Curly Quotes to Straight Quotes?
Smart quotes (curly quotes like “ ” and ‘ ’) look nice in print but cause fatal syntax errors in code, SQL queries, and web forms. Our tool converts smart quotes into code-safe straight quotes (" and ') and converts em dashes (—) into standard hyphens instantly.
See the Difference Before & After Cleaning
Hidden artifacts and zero-width characters cause unexpected layout shifts, regex crashes, and AI detector flags. Here is how clean text compares.
“Hello World,” said John’s bot — it works….
"Hello World," said John's bot - it works...
Unicode Characters Removed & Filtered
Our browser engine detects and strips invisible formatting controls and non-printable unicode points automatically.
| Character Name | Unicode Hex | Impact & Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Curly Double Quotes | U+201C / U+201D | Replaced with standard straight double quote ("). |
| Curly Single Quotes & Apostrophes | U+2018 / U+2019 | Replaced with standard straight single quote ('). |
| Em Dash & En Dash | U+2013 / U+2014 | Replaced with standard ASCII hyphen (-). |
3 Simple Steps to Use Smart Quotes to Straight Quotes Converter
No software installation, account registration, or cloud API keys required. Processed entirely inside your local browser.
Paste Typography Text
Paste text with curly quotes, smart apostrophes, or em dashes.
Normalize Quotes
Our typography engine converts smart curly characters into standard ASCII quotes.
Copy Code-Safe Output
Copy code-safe plain text free from syntax-breaking curly characters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions about zero-width characters, AI formatting, or privacy? We have answers.
Why do smart quotes cause programming errors?
Compilers, SQL query engines, and JSON parsers only recognize ASCII straight quotes (" and '). Curly smart quotes generate syntax error exceptions because they are distinct unicode symbols.
Will this fix em dashes and ellipsis?
Yes! When option toggles are enabled, long em dashes (—) are converted into standard hyphens (-) and ellipsis symbols (...) into three dots.
How do curly smart quotes get into code snippets?
Word processors (like Microsoft Word or Apple Pages) and web chat interfaces automatically convert typed straight quotes into curly typographical 'smart quotes'.
What is the ASCII hex code for straight double quotes?
ASCII straight double quote is U+0022 ("), whereas smart left double quote is U+201C and smart right double quote is U+201D.
Can I convert smart quotes in SQL or JSON files?
Yes! Use our 'Code & JSON Safe' quick preset to normalize all smart quotes and dashes instantly.