What is XML formatting and why is it useful?

XML formatting (pretty printing) adds proper indentation and line breaks to XML documents, making them easier to read, understand, and debug. It's essential for working with configuration files, API responses, data exports, and any XML-based content.

How do I format XML online for free?

Paste your XML code or upload a file, choose Format mode, select a preset (Default, Compact, Verbose) or customize 8 formatting options, and click Format. The tool shows the formatted output with document statistics and optional tree view visualization.

Does XML formatting change the data?

No, formatting only changes whitespace between elements. The actual data, attributes, and structure remain identical. XML parsers will interpret both formatted and minified versions exactly the same way.

What indent size should I use for XML?

Common choices are 2 or 4 spaces. 2 spaces is more compact and better for deeply nested XML. 4 spaces is easier to read for shallow structures. Choose based on your preference, team standards, or the XML's typical nesting depth.

Can I use tabs instead of spaces for XML indentation?

Yes! The tool supports both spaces and tabs for indentation. Tabs are more compact in file size but may display differently across editors. Spaces provide consistent visual appearance everywhere.

Why is my XML showing as invalid?

Common XML validation issues: unclosed tags, mismatched tag names (XML is case-sensitive), invalid characters in element names, missing root element, unescaped special characters (&, ), or malformed attributes. The error message indicates the specific problem.

Does this XML formatter preserve CDATA sections?

Yes, CDATA sections ( ) are preserved exactly as-is. The content inside CDATA is not modified, formatted, or escaped during formatting. CDATA is commonly used for embedding code or text with special characters.

What about XML comments during formatting?

Comments ( ) are preserved during formatting and properly indented. Use the minify option with "remove comments" if you want to strip comments for production use.

Can I format XML with namespaces?

Yes, XML namespaces are fully supported. Namespace prefixes (xmlns:prefix) and declarations are preserved. The analyzer extracts and displays all namespaces used in your document.

What is the difference between XML format and minify?

Format adds indentation and line breaks for readability. Minify removes all unnecessary whitespace to reduce file size. Use format for development/debugging, minify for production/transmission to reduce bandwidth.

How does the XML tree view feature work?

The tree view displays your XML as an expandable/collapsible hierarchy, making it easy to navigate complex documents. Click nodes to expand/collapse. Great for exploring large XML files and understanding document structure.

Can I sort XML attributes alphabetically?

Yes! Enable the "Sort attributes" option to alphabetically order attributes within each element. This creates consistent, predictable output and makes it easier to compare XML documents.

Does this tool validate XML against a schema (XSD)?

This tool performs well-formedness validation (proper XML syntax) but not schema validation. For XSD validation, use dedicated XML validators. The tool does check for basic structural issues and reports parsing errors.

Can I format SVG files with this tool?

Yes! SVG files are XML-based and can be formatted with this tool. The formatter handles SVG elements, attributes, and namespaces correctly. Great for cleaning up SVG exports from design tools.

Is my XML data secure when using this online formatter?

Yes! All XML formatting, minification, and analysis happens 100% in your browser using JavaScript. Your XML data is NEVER sent to any server, stored, or logged. The tool works completely offline for maximum privacy.

What is XML formatting and why is it useful?

XML formatting (pretty printing) adds proper indentation and line breaks to XML documents, making them easier to read, understand, and debug. It's essential for working with configuration files, API responses, data exports, and any XML-based content.

How do I format XML online for free?

Paste your XML code or upload a file, choose Format mode, select a preset (Default, Compact, Verbose) or customize 8 formatting options, and click Format. The tool shows the formatted output with document statistics and optional tree view visualization.

Does XML formatting change the data?

No, formatting only changes whitespace between elements. The actual data, attributes, and structure remain identical. XML parsers will interpret both formatted and minified versions exactly the same way.

What indent size should I use for XML?

Common choices are 2 or 4 spaces. 2 spaces is more compact and better for deeply nested XML. 4 spaces is easier to read for shallow structures. Choose based on your preference, team standards, or the XML's typical nesting depth.

Can I use tabs instead of spaces for XML indentation?

Yes! The tool supports both spaces and tabs for indentation. Tabs are more compact in file size but may display differently across editors. Spaces provide consistent visual appearance everywhere.

Why is my XML showing as invalid?

Common XML validation issues: unclosed tags, mismatched tag names (XML is case-sensitive), invalid characters in element names, missing root element, unescaped special characters (&, ), or malformed attributes. The error message indicates the specific problem.

Does this XML formatter preserve CDATA sections?

Yes, CDATA sections ( ) are preserved exactly as-is. The content inside CDATA is not modified, formatted, or escaped during formatting. CDATA is commonly used for embedding code or text with special characters.

What about XML comments during formatting?

Comments ( ) are preserved during formatting and properly indented. Use the minify option with "remove comments" if you want to strip comments for production use.

Can I format XML with namespaces?

Yes, XML namespaces are fully supported. Namespace prefixes (xmlns:prefix) and declarations are preserved. The analyzer extracts and displays all namespaces used in your document.

What is the difference between XML format and minify?

Format adds indentation and line breaks for readability. Minify removes all unnecessary whitespace to reduce file size. Use format for development/debugging, minify for production/transmission to reduce bandwidth.

How does the XML tree view feature work?

The tree view displays your XML as an expandable/collapsible hierarchy, making it easy to navigate complex documents. Click nodes to expand/collapse. Great for exploring large XML files and understanding document structure.

Can I sort XML attributes alphabetically?

Yes! Enable the "Sort attributes" option to alphabetically order attributes within each element. This creates consistent, predictable output and makes it easier to compare XML documents.

Does this tool validate XML against a schema (XSD)?

This tool performs well-formedness validation (proper XML syntax) but not schema validation. For XSD validation, use dedicated XML validators. The tool does check for basic structural issues and reports parsing errors.

Can I format SVG files with this tool?

Yes! SVG files are XML-based and can be formatted with this tool. The formatter handles SVG elements, attributes, and namespaces correctly. Great for cleaning up SVG exports from design tools.

Is my XML data secure when using this online formatter?

Yes! All XML formatting, minification, and analysis happens 100% in your browser using JavaScript. Your XML data is NEVER sent to any server, stored, or logged. The tool works completely offline for maximum privacy.

XML Formatter & Minifier

medium

Advanced XML formatter and minifier with 8 formatting options, preset modes, attribute sorting, CDATA preservation, tree view visualization, and detailed document analysis.

Web Developmentxmlformatbeautifyminify

100% Private - Runs Locally

How to Use

1Paste XML or upload file
2Choose Format or Minify mode
3Select preset (Default, Compact, Verbose) or customize 8 options
4View document statistics, elements, attributes, namespaces
5Explore XML structure with tree view
6Download or copy output

Examples

Simple XML

Input

<root><item id="1"><name>Product</name><price>29.99</price></item></root>

Output

<root>
  <item id="1">
    <name>Product</name>
    <price>29.99</price>
  </item>
</root>

XML with Attributes

Input

<catalog><book isbn="978-0-123456-78-9" category="fiction"><title lang="en">The Great Novel</title><author>John Doe</author></book></catalog>

Output

<catalog>
  <book isbn="978-0-123456-78-9" category="fiction">
    <title lang="en">The Great Novel</title>
    <author>John Doe</author>
  </book>
</catalog>

XML Declaration

Input

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><data><record><id>1</id><value>test</value></record></data>

Output

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<data>
  <record>
    <id>1</id>
    <value>test</value>
  </record>
</data>

Frequently Asked Questions

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