Free HTML Formatter and Beautifier
Paste minified or messy HTML and get clean, indented markup in one click, with warnings for unclosed and stray tags.
HTML Formatter and Beautifier: Paste minified or messy HTML and get clean, indented markup in one click, with warnings for unclosed and stray tags. It is free, needs no sign-up and runs in your browser. How to use it: 1) paste your HTML or load the sample; 2) choose indentation and how short elements are handled; 3) click Format, then copy or download the result. The formatter reads your code with a real tokenizer, not simple find and replace. It separates tags, text, comments, doctype and raw content, then rebuilds the document with consistent indentation.
How the HTML formatter works
The formatter reads your code with a real tokenizer, not simple find and replace. It separates tags, text, comments, doctype and raw content, then rebuilds the document with consistent indentation. Block elements such as div, section and ul start new lines. Inline elements such as a, b, span and img stay inside the text flow so your spacing does not change.
What it keeps safe
- Content inside pre and textarea is kept exactly as written, because whitespace matters there.
- Script and style content is re-indented lightly, or left untouched if you prefer.
- Void elements such as br, img and meta never get closing tags.
- Comments, including conditional comments, are kept in place.
Error tolerant
Real HTML is often messy. Optional closing tags, such as li and p, are handled the way browsers handle them. Stray closing tags and elements that are never closed are listed as warnings instead of breaking the output. The formatter never adds or removes tags.
Options
Choose 2 spaces, 4 spaces or tabs. Short elements, such as a paragraph with one line of text, stay on one line up to the length you choose.
Limitations
Template syntax from PHP, Liquid or similar languages is treated as text and may not indent perfectly. Very long lines of inline text are not wrapped.
HTML Formatter FAQs
Does formatting HTML change how my page looks?
No for normal markup. The formatter only changes whitespace between block elements and collapses runs of spaces in text, which browsers already treat as a single space. Content in pre and textarea is untouched. If your CSS uses white-space rules on other elements, check those sections after formatting.
Can it fix broken HTML?
It does not rewrite your code, but it lists stray closing tags and elements that are never closed, so you can fix them yourself. Keeping the original tags avoids silently changing structure that your scripts or styles may rely on, which is safer for live sites.
Should I use 2 spaces, 4 spaces or tabs?
It is a team preference. Two spaces keep deeply nested HTML readable on narrow screens, four spaces are common in older projects, and tabs let each developer choose their own width. Pick whatever your project already uses so diffs stay clean and reviews stay easy.
Is my code sent to a server?
No. Formatting runs entirely in your browser with JavaScript, so private templates and client code never leave your computer. There is no account, no upload and no size quota. You can copy the result or download it as an HTML file for your project.
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