Prettify XML

APIs, configuration files, data exports and sitemaps all share one habit: the XML they produce arrives as a single dense line that is technically valid and practically unreadable. Prettify XML fixes that in one click, expanding the document into a properly indented, line-broken tree that you can actually scan.

The formatter parses your document with the browser's own XML engine, so it never rewrites structure — it only adds whitespace. Choose two-space, four-space or tab indentation, decide whether empty elements collapse to self-closing form, and whether the XML declaration survives. A live preview updates as you type, and the result can be copied, downloaded or printed to PDF. Everything runs locally; no XML ever leaves your machine.

• True parse-based formatting: built on the browser XML parser, so tags are matched correctly and only whitespace is added.
• Three indentation modes: 2 spaces, 4 spaces, or tab, matching whatever convention your project uses.
• Self-closing empty elements: collapse <tag></tag> to <tag/> for compact, conventional output.
• Keep or drop the declaration: control whether <?xml …?> is preserved in the result.
• Comments, CDATA and processing instructions survive untouched and correctly placed.
• Mixed content handled sensibly: inline text is trimmed and kept with its element instead of being mangled.
• Live output: reformat as you type, or run once with the button.
• Instant stats: character and line counts for both input and result.
• Copy, download or print: take the formatted XML as text, a .xml file, or a clean print/PDF copy.
• Private by design: nothing is uploaded, saved or logged.

1. Paste your XML into the input box, or load a file with the Open file button.
2. Pick an indentation — 2 spaces, 4 spaces, or tab — to match your project style.
3. Choose empty-element handling — expanded <a></a> or compact <a/>.
4. Decide on the declaration — keep or strip <?xml …?>.
5. Review the preview — with Live on, the tree updates as you edit.
6. Copy or download the formatted result, or use Print / Save PDF for a hard copy.

Example 1 — API response for debugging. An integration returns a one-line payload. Formatting with two-space indentation turns a 4,000-character wall of text into a tree you can diff against the documentation in seconds.

Example 2 — Configuration review. A colleague pastes minified settings XML. Prettify it first, then read the option hierarchy top to bottom before the review meeting.

Example 3 — Meaningful diffs. Format the before and after versions before comparing. Consistent whitespace makes structural changes visible instead of drowning them in formatting noise.

Example 4 — Documentation snippets. Teams that publish XML examples in docs can format once and embed the readable version, safe in the knowledge the data is untouched.

• Readability without risk — formatting never alters your data, only whitespace.
• Convention-matching output — indentation that fits your editors and CI tooling.
• Faster debugging of API responses, feeds, sitemaps and config files.
• Zero privacy cost — all processing happens locally in the browser.
• Free and unlimited — no sign-up, no watermark, no size caps.