Paste your XML, choose an action and get clean output instantly. Minify XML to shrink feeds and API responses, beautify a single-line file so you can read it, or unminify a config you inherited. Everything runs in your browser, so your data is never uploaded.
XML Minifier
Removes comments, whitespace and line breaks between tags. Ideal for feeds, sitemaps and API payloads.
XML Beautifier
Adds indentation and line breaks with your chosen indent size so nested elements are easy to follow.
XML Formatter & Validator
Pretty prints with syntax highlighting and reports well-formedness errors with the line number.
What is XML minification?
XML minification strips characters that carry no meaning for a parser: comments, indentation and line breaks between elements. The data, tags and attributes stay the same, so the file is smaller and transfers faster. Be careful with text inside elements, because whitespace there can be meaningful. A safe XML compressor only touches whitespace between tags.
How to minify an XML file
- Paste your XML into the minifier column, or load a file.
- Click Minify.
- Copy the result or download it.
- Validate it once if the file feeds another system.
Keep the readable version as your working copy and generate the minified file only for delivery. Minify XML without losing data by choosing a tool that preserves text nodes and CDATA sections, as this one does.
How to beautify and unminify XML
A beautifier, also called an XML formatter or pretty printer, restores structure. Paste a one-line response from an API, pick an indent size and click Beautify. Nested elements are indented so parent-child relationships are obvious. Unminify works the same way and is the fastest route to read a SOAP response, an RSS feed or a configuration file. Comments removed during minification cannot be brought back.
Well-formedness, errors and validation
Every XML document must be well-formed: one root element, properly nested and closed tags, quoted attributes, and escaped special characters. Most errors come from a missing closing tag, a stray &, or mismatched case. Formatting a file is a quick error finder because the broken spot stops the indentation. Remember that well-formed is not the same as valid: schema validation checks the document against an XML Schema (XSD) that defines allowed elements and types. Read the W3C XML specification for the exact rules.
XML concepts at a glance
| Concept | What it does |
|---|---|
| Elements and attributes | Elements hold data and structure; attributes add metadata to an element. |
| Namespaces | Prevent name clashes by tying elements to a URI, e.g. xmlns:rss. |
| Entity references | Escape reserved characters: < > & ". |
| Encoding | Declared in the prolog, usually UTF-8. |
| XPath | Query language to select nodes, e.g. //item[@id='7']. |
| XSLT | Transforms XML into other XML, HTML or text. |
| DOM and SAX parsers | DOM loads the whole tree in memory; SAX streams events, better for very large files. |
Common use cases
- XML sitemaps: keep
sitemap.xmllean and check it is well-formed before submitting to search engines. - RSS and Atom feeds: verify structure before publishing.
- SOAP and API responses: beautify to debug, minify to reduce payload size.
- Configuration files: tidy Android, Maven or .NET configs for code review.
- Data exchange: convert between XML and JSON when systems disagree on format.
Working with markup in templates too? Try our HTML minifier and beautifier, and use the CSS minifier and beautifier for your stylesheets.
Free XML tools and resources
| Need | Resource | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sitemap generator | XML-Sitemaps.com | Generating a sitemap for a website |
| Sitemap protocol reference | sitemaps.org | Valid sitemap structure |
| RSS validator | W3C Feed Validation Service | RSS and Atom checks |
| XML tutorial and reference | MDN XML docs | Concepts, examples, parsers |
| XPath reference | MDN XPath | Writing and testing expressions |
| XSD reference | W3C XML Schema | Schema validation rules |
FAQ
Is this XML formatter free?
Yes. It is free, requires no signup and processes data in your browser.
Can I minify XML without losing data?
Yes. Only whitespace between tags and comments are removed. Elements, attributes and text content stay intact.
What is the difference between well-formed and valid XML?
Well-formed means the syntax is correct. Valid means it also matches a schema such as an XSD.
Can I view or format a large XML file?
Yes, within your browser’s memory. For multi-hundred-megabyte files, use a streaming (SAX) parser or a desktop editor.