Practical example
Format an API document and verify namespaces on every prefixed element; identical local names can mean different things under different namespace URIs.
XML Formatter / Validator
Paste XML and instantly format, minify, or validate it locally in your browser.
Options
Actions
Status
Idle
What is an XML formatter / validator?
An XML formatter makes XML easier to read by adding indentation and line breaks.
An XML validator checks whether your XML is well-formed and helps catch syntax issues such as broken tags, invalid nesting, or malformed declarations.
How to use the XML Formatter / Validator
- Paste your XML into the input field.
- Choose indentation size and comment handling options.
- Click Format, Minify, or Validate.
- Copy the result if needed.
Tips
- Formatting improves readability but does not change XML meaning.
- Validation checks whether XML is well-formed.
- Minify is useful when you need compact XML output.
- Parsing happens in your browser, so it is safe to format XML that contains internal endpoints or credentials.
Related guides
Learn the workflow behind this tool and what to check next.
XML checks before formatting or exchanging a document
Readable indentation does not validate namespaces, schema rules, encoding declarations, entity handling, or application-specific meaning.
Namespaces
Verify namespace URIs, prefixes, default namespace scope, qualified attributes, and XPath queries after formatting.
Whitespace and mixed content
Preserve significant text, xml:space rules, CDATA boundaries, and mixed-content elements where indentation changes data.
Encoding and entities
Keep the declaration aligned with actual bytes and handle entities, DTDs, and external resources with secure parser settings.
Schema validation
Validate against the required XSD, DTD, or application contract and test the final serialized document with the receiver.
A practical example, an edge case, and a maintainer note
Edge case
DTD and external entity processing can be unsafe. Do not enable network entity resolution for untrusted XML.
Maintainer note
Pretty printing can change whitespace inside mixed-content elements, so keep the original when whitespace is semantically meaningful.
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XML Formatter / Validator FAQ
Is my XML sent to the server?
No. The formatter parses and re-indents your XML entirely in the browser — config files, SOAP payloads, and API responses never leave the page.
Does this tool validate XML?
Yes. It checks whether the XML is well-formed.
Can I minify XML too?
Yes. The tool supports both pretty formatting and minification.