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How do I format and beautify XML?

Short answer

Paste your XML into a browser-based XML formatter and it indents the elements into a clean, nested layout that is easy to read. The formatting runs on your device, so a SOAP response, a config or a feed that contains business data is never uploaded while you make it readable.

Why minified XML is unreadable

XML that arrives from an API or a system is often a single long line with no indentation, which hides the nesting that gives the document meaning. A formatter parses the XML and re-emits it with each level of elements indented, so parents, children and attributes line up visually. That turns an impenetrable string into something you can actually scan and debug.

Formatting also reveals broken XML

Because a formatter has to parse the document before it can indent it, it will fail on malformed XML, which is a quick way to catch an unclosed tag or a stray character. The layout it produces is identical XML with only whitespace changed, so the meaning is untouched. Since real XML often carries invoices, feeds or integration data, doing this locally keeps that content on your machine.

Step by step

  1. Paste the XML. Paste the unformatted XML into the formatter.
  2. Format locally. The tool parses and re-indents the XML in your browser.
  3. Copy the result. Copy the clean, indented XML for reading or sharing.

Frequently asked questions

Does formatting change the XML data?

No. Only whitespace and indentation change. The elements, attributes and values are untouched.

Will it tell me if my XML is broken?

Yes. Because it parses the document first, malformed XML like an unclosed tag is flagged rather than formatted.

Is my XML uploaded?

No. Formatting runs entirely in your browser.

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