Input XML
Formatted Output
XML Formatter
Clean up messy XML with proper indentation and syntax checking
What This Tool Does
This XML formatter takes unorganized XML code and restructures it with consistent spacing and indentation. It helps when you need to read configuration files, parse API responses, or debug XML documents that are difficult to understand in their raw form.
The tool runs entirely in your browser. When you paste or upload an XML file, it checks the structure for errors and reformats the content without sending anything to a server.
Who Needs This
Software developers working with XML-based APIs often receive responses that are compressed into a single line. This makes debugging difficult. The formatter expands the structure so you can see the hierarchy clearly.
System administrators who edit configuration files for applications like Apache Tomcat or Spring Framework can use this to verify their XML is well-formed before deploying changes.
Data analysts who work with XML exports from databases or reporting tools can format the output to better understand nested relationships.
Key Features
Instant Formatting
Converts compressed or messy XML into properly indented, readable structure with consistent spacing.
Syntax Validation
Checks if your XML follows proper structure rules. Shows specific error messages when tags are mismatched or attributes are malformed.
File Upload Support
Load XML files directly from your computer. Works with files up to 10MB without requiring server upload.
Minify Option
Removes all unnecessary whitespace to create the smallest possible file size while preserving data accuracy.
Copy and Download
Copy the formatted XML to your clipboard for pasting into other applications, or download it as a new file.
Browser-Based Processing
All formatting happens on your device. No data leaves your computer, which matters when working with sensitive configuration files.
Common XML Errors and How to Fix Them
When XML validation fails, you'll see an error message pointing to the problem. Here are issues that appear frequently:
Unclosed Tags: Every opening tag needs a matching closing tag. If you open with <item>, you must close with </item>. Self-closing tags like <item/> are valid alternatives for empty elements.
Mismatched Tag Names: Opening and closing tags must match exactly, including case sensitivity. <Item> and <item> are treated as different elements.
Invalid Characters in Tag Names: Tag names cannot start with numbers or contain spaces. Use underscores or hyphens instead of spaces.
Unescaped Special Characters: Characters like <, >, &, and quotes inside text content or attributes must be escaped using entities (<, >, &, ").
Missing Root Element: Valid XML documents must have exactly one root element that wraps all other content.
Privacy and Security
This tool processes XML entirely in your web browser using JavaScript. When you paste content or upload a file, nothing is transmitted to any server. The file stays on your device throughout the entire formatting process.
This matters if you're working with configuration files that contain internal server addresses, database credentials, or other sensitive information. Since processing happens locally, there's no risk of exposing private data through network transmission.
The tool doesn't store history, cache your input, or save any files to local storage. When you close the browser tab, all data is cleared from memory.
Common Questions
XML formatting adds indentation and line breaks to make the document structure easier to read. It doesn't change the data itself, just how it's visually organized.
No. The tool can identify syntax errors and show you where they are, but it cannot automatically repair malformed XML. You need to manually fix unclosed tags, mismatched elements, or other structural issues.
No. All processing happens in your browser. The file is read locally on your device and never sent anywhere.
Format adds spacing and indentation to make XML readable. Minify removes all unnecessary whitespace to reduce file size, which is useful for transmission or storage but makes the document harder for humans to read.
The tool can handle files up to 10MB, but very large files may slow down your browser since processing happens locally. For files larger than 5MB, performance depends on your device's processing power and available memory.
You can upload .xml and .txt files. The tool reads the content as text, so the file extension matters less than the actual content being valid XML.