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XML Formatter Online - Format and Beautify XML with Proper Indentation

Step 1

Input Your XML Data

Get your XML into the formatter. You have several convenient options:

•
Paste directly: Copy your raw or minified XML and paste it into the input editor
•
Upload a file: Click "Upload" to select a .xml or .txt file from your computer
•
Try sample XML: Click "Sample" to load example XML and see the tool in action

Example: Unformatted XML Input

Here is how messy, unformatted XML typically looks before formatting:

<library><books><book id="1" category="fiction"><title>The Great Gatsby</title><author><name>F. Scott Fitzgerald</name><country>USA</country></author><price currency="USD">12.99</price></book></books></library>
Step 2

Choose Your Formatting Options

Customize how you want your XML formatted with these professional options:

•
Indentation size: Choose between 2, 4, or 8 spaces - 2 for compact, 4 for standard, 8 for wide formatting
•
Pretty print mode: Automatically formats with proper line breaks, indentation, and attribute alignment
•
Minify option: Compress XML by removing unnecessary whitespace and line breaks for production use

Example: Indentation Comparison

The formatter applies your chosen indentation size consistently across all nesting levels:

2 Spaces
<config>
  <database>
    <host>localhost</host>
    <port>5432</port>
  </database>
</config>
4 Spaces
<config>
    <database>
        <host>localhost</host>
        <port>5432</port>
    </database>
</config>
Step 3

Get Your Formatted XML

The formatter processes your XML in real-time and provides clean, beautifully formatted output:

•
Instant results: See formatted XML appear automatically as you type or paste
•
Syntax highlighting: Color-coded tags, attributes, values, and comments for easy reading
•
Error detection: Automatic validation with helpful error messages and line numbers

Example: Beautifully Formatted XML Output

Here is how the same XML looks after formatting with proper indentation and structure:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<library>
  <books>
    <book id="1" category="fiction">
      <title>The Great Gatsby</title>
      <author>
        <name>F. Scott Fitzgerald</name>
        <country>USA</country>
      </author>
      <price currency="USD">12.99</price>
    </book>
  </books>
</library>
Step 4

Copy or Download Your Formatted XML

When your XML looks right, grab it and use it:

•
Copy to clipboard: One-click copy to paste directly into your code editor, IDE, or documentation
•
Download as file: Save the formatted output as a .xml file for sharing or version control
•
Convert to JSON: Use our XML to JSON converter to transform your XML for modern applications

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between XML formatting and beautifying?

XML formatting and beautifying are essentially the same - both add proper indentation, line breaks, and spacing to make XML more readable while preserving the original data structure and content.

Can I customize the formatting style?

Yes. You can choose between 2, 4, or 8 spaces for indentation. Two spaces give compact formatting ideal for configuration files, four spaces is the most common standard, and eight spaces works well for complex nested structures.

Does formatting affect XML performance?

Formatted XML is slightly larger due to added whitespace, but the impact on XML parsing performance is minimal. For production use where file size matters, use the minify option to compress the output.

What XML versions are supported?

This formatter supports XML 1.0 and 1.1, including documents with namespaces, CDATA sections, processing instructions, and DOCTYPE declarations.

Is this XML formatter completely free?

Yes, completely free with no file size limits, no registration required, and unlimited usage. All formatting features are available at no cost.

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