xml formatter

How to use the xml formatter

  1. Paste the XML document you want to format — the validator checks it on every keystroke.
  2. A green 'Well-formed XML' badge confirms the document parses cleanly; errors show inline with a readable message.
  3. Pick indent size, switch to minify mode to strip whitespace, or toggle live validation off if you're pasting partial fragments.
  4. Copy the pretty-printed or minified output to your clipboard.

When to use it

Reach for it when debugging SOAP responses, reading a sitemap.xml, inspecting an RSS feed, or preparing an Android strings.xml for commit. The DOMParser-based validator catches the errors that matter — unclosed tags, malformed attributes, bad encoding declarations — with line-level feedback. Alternative: xmllint on the command line handles larger files, but this tool's live validation is faster for one-off checks.

Frequently asked questions

What is an XML formatter?
A tool that re-indents and pretty-prints XML documents so nesting and attributes are readable. This one also validates well-formedness in real time using the browser's DOMParser.
Does the XML formatter validate against a schema?
It checks well-formedness (correct nesting, matched tags, valid characters) but does not validate against XSD, DTD, or RelaxNG schemas. For schema validation, use an IDE with XML tooling or a dedicated validator.
Will the formatter preserve my comments and CDATA sections?
Yes. XML comments and CDATA blocks pass through intact — only whitespace between elements is modified.
Why is my namespaced XML marked invalid?
Most namespace issues come from mistyped prefixes or missing xmlns declarations on the root element. The parser's error message usually identifies the line and element.
Can I minify XML for smaller file sizes?
Yes — switch the mode to 'Minify' and whitespace between elements is removed. XML doesn't benefit from minification as much as HTML, but it can shave 10-30% off verbose SOAP payloads.
Does this tool work with SVG?
Yes. SVG is XML, so the formatter and validator both work on it. For SVG-specific optimization (removing editor metadata, rounding coordinates), use the dedicated SVG Optimizer tool.

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Last updated: 2026-04-24