How to use the XML Formatter
1. Paste your minified or unformatted XML into the left panel.
2. The formatted, indented XML appears instantly on the right.
3. Click Copy to copy the result to your clipboard.
What is it?
XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a markup language used to store and transport structured data. Unformatted XML is hard to read — especially when minified into a single line. A formatter adds proper indentation and line breaks to make the structure immediately visible.
Developers use XML formatting when debugging API responses, inspecting config files (Maven pom.xml, Android manifests, SOAP payloads), and reviewing data exports. All processing is done locally — no data is sent anywhere.
Example
<users><user><id>1</id><name>Alice</name></user><user><id>2</id><name>Bob</name></user></users>
<users>
<user>
<id>1</id>
<name>Alice</name>
</user>
<user>
<id>2</id>
<name>Bob</name>
</user>
</users>Proper indentation makes deeply nested XML instantly readable. Essential for debugging SOAP, SVG, and config files.
Benefits
Understand deeply-nested XML documents at a glance
Indented XML makes element hierarchy immediately clear — tags nested 10 levels deep become readable without collapsing and expanding.
Debug SOAP envelopes, RSS, and Atom feeds
Prettify raw XML from API responses or feeds to find the specific element you need without counting angle brackets.
Verify structure before writing a parser
Review well-formatted XML against your expected schema before writing parsing code — confirm the structure matches your assumptions.
Paste into documentation and bug reports legibly
Formatted XML is readable in tickets, code reviews, and documentation without requiring access to an XML editor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between XML and HTML?
HTML has a fixed set of predefined tags for displaying web content. XML allows you to define your own tags for structuring data. XML is strict about closing tags and case sensitivity; HTML is more forgiving.
Why is my XML showing an error?
Common XML errors include unclosed tags, mismatched tag names, invalid characters, or missing XML declaration. The formatter shows the first error it encounters to help you locate the problem.
Does this tool validate my XML?
This formatter does basic well-formedness checking — it will flag structural errors. For schema validation (XSD/DTD), use the dedicated XML Validator tool.