1. What does this tool do
This free online XML beautifier formats, validates, and minifies XML. Use it to format XML, pretty print XML, or minify XML for APIs, SOAP, or configs. Paste minified or messy XML and get readable, indented output—or minify for smaller payloads. Free and private; no sign-up, no upload. All processing runs in your browser so your data stays on your device. Ideal for API/SOAP responses, config or feeds, debugging, or locating unclosed tags.
2. How to use it
Quick start: Paste or type XML, click Format or Beautify for indented output, or Minify for a single line. Fix any well-formedness errors the tool reports. Copy the result.
- Paste or type XML — Put your XML in the input area (e.g. from an API, export, or config).
- Format — Click Format or Beautify. The tool indents and line-breaks the XML. If parsing fails, fix the reported error.
- Choose indentation — Select 2 or 4 spaces (or tabs if offered) for the formatted output.
- Minify — Use the Minify option to collapse whitespace. Copy the result for APIs or storage.
- Copy — Copy the formatted or minified output with one click.
3. How it works
The tool parses the input with an XML parser (e.g. DOMParser). If well-formed, it reformats by adding indentation and newlines (beautify) or removing them (minify). Invalid XML produces an error with position info. All processing is client-side in your browser. No data is sent to any server.
4. Use cases & examples
- API or SOAP — Paste a response and read the structure with proper indentation.
- Config or feeds — Reformat XML configs or RSS/Atom for readability or minify for transfer.
- Debugging — Validate and pretty-print XML from logs or exports.
- Quick fix — Locate unclosed tags or encoding issues using the parser error.
Example
- Input:
<root><a>1</a><b>2</b></root>→ Formatted with indentation. Minified: single line. - Invalid:
<root><a></root>→ Error: mismatched tags; fix and re-run.
5. Limitations & known constraints
- Well-formedness only — The tool checks well-formed XML; it does not validate against a DTD or XSD unless the implementation supports it.
- Size — Very large XML may slow the browser or hit memory limits. Process in chunks if needed.
- Encoding — Ensure the input is valid UTF-8 (or the declared encoding); wrong encoding can cause parse errors.