HTML Formatter
Beautify and format HTML code with custom indentation, instantly in your browser.
HTML Formatter Features
Fast, private HTML formatting directly in your browser.
Correctly handles block vs inline elements, void tags, and nesting depth.
Format any size HTML snippet instantly. No waiting, no server round-trip.
Your HTML stays on your device. Privacy-aware, no sign-up needed.
Key Takeaways
- All formatting runs entirely in your browser, so your markup is processed on your device, making it safe for proprietary templates and internal tooling.
- You choose the indent unit - 2 spaces, 4 spaces, or a tab - and block elements like div, section, and table add a nesting level while inline tags such as span, a, and strong stay on the same line.
- The tool indents script and style tags but leaves the JavaScript or CSS inside them untouched, so reformat embedded code with a dedicated JS or CSS formatter separately.
- It assumes well-formed markup and only runs when you click the Format HTML button, so close any unclosed tags first or the output below them will shift too deep.
How to Format HTML Online
Paste your HTML
Drop minified, copied, or machine-generated HTML into the input area on the left. Full documents and loose fragments both work, and no doctype is required. All processing runs in your browser, so the markup stays on your device.
Pick your indent style
Use the Indent dropdown to choose 2 spaces, 4 spaces, or a tab character. Each level of nesting is offset using that unit, while inline tags such as span, a, strong, and em stay on the same line as their text instead of being pushed down a level.
Format, review, and copy
Click Format HTML to produce indented, line-broken output on the right. A status line confirms success. Use the Copy button to send the result to your clipboard, or Clear to reset both panes and start over.
How Different Tag Types Are Handled
The formatter classifies each tag before deciding whether to increase the indent level. Block elements open a new nesting level, while inline, void, and self-closing tags stay flat. This table shows how the common cases behave.
| Tag type | Examples | Adds indent level | Behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block element | div, section, ul, table, p | Yes | Children are indented one level deeper under the open tag. |
| Inline element | span, a, strong, em, code | No | Kept on the same line as surrounding content, not pushed deeper. |
| Void element | br, img, input, meta, link, hr | No | Written on its own line with no expected closing tag. |
| Self-closing tag | SVG nodes ending in /> | No | Treated as complete, so no extra closing indent is added. |
| Text and template syntax | plain text, {{ }}, | No | Preserved as-is at the current level; only HTML tags drive indentation. |
| Embedded script or style | script, style blocks | Yes (tag only) | Tags are indented but the JS or CSS inside is left untouched. |
When to Use the HTML Formatter
Reading minified markup
When you paste a single unreadable line from a build output or a copied page, formatting adds line breaks and indentation so you can follow the document structure at a glance.
Debugging nesting issues
Indentation makes mismatched or misplaced tags obvious. Seeing each level offset helps you spot where a container was left open or closed in the wrong place.
Cleaning generated HTML
Output from CMS editors, email builders, and exporters is often inconsistent. The formatter normalizes indentation to your chosen 2-space, 4-space, or tab convention.
Working with private templates
Because formatting happens entirely in the browser, you can tidy proprietary templates or internal tooling markup without sending anything to a server.
Common Problems and Fixes
Embedded CSS or JavaScript is not indented
This is expected. The formatter indents the script and style tags but preserves their contents exactly as written. To reformat the inner code, use a dedicated JavaScript or CSS formatter on those blocks separately.
Output looks wrong with unclosed tags
The indenter assumes well-formed markup. A missing closing tag can shift everything below it deeper than expected. Close the open element in your source, then format again to restore correct nesting.
Template tags broke the layout
Tags like {{ value }} or PHP blocks are treated as plain text, not HTML, so they sit at the current level instead of opening a new one. The surrounding HTML still formats correctly around them.
Nothing happens after pasting
You must click the Format HTML button to run the tool; it does not format on paste. If the input is empty or only whitespace, the output stays blank. Add content and click the button again.
Why Format Your HTML Code?
Formatted HTML is easier to read, debug, and maintain. When working with HTML generated by tools or copied from websites it is often a single unreadable line. Our free online HTML formatter instantly adds proper indentation and line breaks so you can understand the structure at a glance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is HTML formatting?
HTML formatting (beautifying) reorganizes HTML code with consistent indentation so that nested elements are visually indented under their parents.
This makes it much easier to understand the document structure and find specific elements.
Formatted HTML is functionally identical to the original - browsers render both the same way.
How is this different from HTML Minifier?
The HTML Minifier removes whitespace to make files smaller for production. The HTML Formatter does the opposite.
Use the formatter during development when you want to read and edit the code.
Use the minifier before deploying to production to reduce page load times.
Does it handle self-closing and void tags?
Yes. Void tags like br, img, input, meta, and link are handled correctly - they are not given a closing indent level.
Self-closing tags (like SVG elements with />) are also handled correctly.
The formatter follows the HTML5 specification for which elements are void.
Can I use tabs instead of spaces?
Yes. Select 'Tab' from the indent dropdown to use tab characters.
Tabs are preferred in some code bases where editors are configured to display them at a specific width.
2 or 4 spaces are the most common convention for HTML files.
Does it work with HTML fragments?
Yes. You can paste any HTML snippet - a single div, a table, or a full page.
A full doctype declaration is not required.
The formatter will indent from the first tag it encounters.
What about Jinja, PHP, or template tags?
Template tags like {{ }} or are treated as text content and preserved as-is.
The formatter only operates on HTML tags, not template syntax.
The structure of the HTML will still be formatted correctly around the template tags.
Is there a file size limit?
There is no hard limit. The formatter runs in your browser and is limited only by available memory.
Typical HTML files of a few hundred kilobytes format in milliseconds.
For very large files consider splitting them into sections first.
Is my data private?
Yes. All HTML processing happens entirely in your browser. No data is sent to any server.
This makes the tool safe to use with proprietary templates or internal tooling HTML.
We do not log, store, or transmit any content you paste into the tool.
Sources and References
Format and tool details on this page are based on the official specifications and documentation below.
- HTML Living Standard- WHATWG
- HTML- MDN Web Docs