XML Formatter – Beautify & Minify XML Online
Format, beautify, and validate XML documents instantly. Our free XML formatter adds proper indentation, syntax highlighting, and structure validation—making messy XML readable and organized.
What Is an XML Formatter?
An XML formatter transforms XML documents by adding consistent indentation, line breaks, and spacing. It can beautify minified XML for readability or minify formatted XML for production. Proper formatting makes XML easier to read, debug, and maintain.
Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Beautify/Pretty Print | Add indentation and line breaks |
| Minify | Remove whitespace for smaller size |
| Syntax Validation | Check for XML errors |
| Indentation Options | 2 spaces, 4 spaces, or tabs |
| Syntax Highlighting | Color-coded elements |
| Copy Output | One-click copy to clipboard |
How to Use This Tool
Beautify (Pretty Print)
- Paste your minified or messy XML
- Click "Format" or "Beautify"
- Copy the properly indented output
Minify (Compress)
- Paste your formatted XML
- Click "Minify"
- Get single-line, whitespace-free output
Common Use Cases
API Development
- Format XML API responses for debugging
- Beautify SOAP messages
- Validate XML payloads
- Prepare test data
Configuration Files
- Format web.config, pom.xml, AndroidManifest.xml
- Review application settings
- Compare configuration versions
- Validate before deployment
Data Exchange
- Format EDI/XML documents
- Prepare data imports
- Validate XML structure
- Debug integration issues
Documentation
- Include formatted XML in docs
- Create readable examples
- Prepare tutorials
- Format code snippets
Before and After
Before (Minified)
<?xml version="1.0"?><catalog><book id="1"><title>XML Guide</title><author>John Doe</author><price>29.99</price></book></catalog>
After (Beautified)
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<catalog>
<book id="1">
<title>XML Guide</title>
<author>John Doe</author>
<price>29.99</price>
</book>
</catalog>
XML Structure Basics
Elements
<element>content</element>
<empty-element />
Attributes
<element attribute="value">content</element>
Nesting
<parent>
<child>content</child>
</parent>
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my XML fail validation?
Common reasons:
- Missing closing tags
- Mismatched tag names
- Invalid characters in element names
- Unclosed quotes in attributes
- Multiple root elements
What indentation should I use?
- 2 spaces: Compact, popular in web development
- 4 spaces: Traditional, more readable
- Tabs: Adjustable, personal preference
Can I format partial XML?
Partial XML without a root element isn't valid. Wrap fragments in a temporary root for formatting.
Does formatting change my data?
Formatting only changes whitespace. Element content, attributes, and structure remain identical.
How do I minify for production?
Minification removes all unnecessary whitespace. Use it for production to reduce file size and improve parsing speed.
Is this tool secure for sensitive data?
Processing happens entirely in your browser. Your XML is never sent to any server.
Common XML Errors
| Error | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Not well-formed" | Syntax error | Check tags and quotes |
| "Unexpected token" | Invalid character | Escape or encode special chars |
| "Mismatched tag" | Wrong closing tag | Verify tag names match |
| "Multiple roots" | More than one root | Wrap in single root element |
Special Characters in XML
| Character | Escape Sequence |
|---|---|
< | < |
> | > |
& | & |
" | " |
' | ' |
Pro Tips
- Validate first — Fix errors before formatting
- Consistent style — Use same indentation throughout project
- Minify for size — Reduce bandwidth in production
- Beautify for debugging — Readable XML is easier to debug
- Version control — Formatted XML diffs better in Git
Related Tools
Explore more formatters and validators:
- JSON Formatter — Format JSON
- HTML Formatter — Format HTML
- JSON to XML — Convert formats
- XML to JSON — Convert to JSON
- XPath Tester — Test XPath queries
Paste your XML above to format, beautify, or minify instantly. Essential for developers, API work, and configuration management.