XML to Text Converter
Strip the angle brackets and read your XML as a plain, indented key-and-value outline — no markup noise, just the data.
The data, without the markup
Sometimes you don't want JSON or YAML — you just want to read what's in an XML document without the visual clutter of opening and closing tags. This converter produces exactly that: a plain-text outline where each element appears as a key: value line, and nesting is shown through indentation rather than markup.
The mechanics are simple and dependable. xml2js parses the XML into an object, then a recursive formatter walks that object: for a leaf it writes key: value, and for a nested object it writes the key on its own line and indents its children by two more spaces. The result is an outline that mirrors the document's shape.
It runs entirely in your browser, which makes it a quick, private way to skim a payload, paste data into an email or ticket, or eyeball a config without firing up an editor.
Getting plain text from XML
- 1
Paste the XML
Add your XML to the input pane or upload an .xml file. Load the sample to see the outline format.
- 2
Read the outline
An indented key: value text outline appears in the output pane as you type, with the tags stripped away.
- 3
Skim the structure
Indentation shows nesting at a glance. If the XML isn't well-formed, you'll see an error instead.
- 4
Copy or download
Copy the text or save it as a .txt file to drop into a note, email or ticket.
When plain text is exactly right
Read it like prose
No tags to mentally filter out — just labelled values, indented to show how they relate.
Paste anywhere
Plain text drops cleanly into emails, chat, tickets and docs that would mangle real markup.
Quick payload triage
Glance at an API response or config to find the field you care about without parsing tags by eye.
Nothing is uploaded
The XML is parsed and flattened to text in your browser, so it's safe for sensitive content.
Tags off, structure intact
The XML on the left becomes the indented text outline on the right.
<profile>
<name>Linus</name>
<contact>
<email>linus@kernel.org</email>
</contact>
</profile>profile:
name: Linus
contact:
email: linus@kernel.orgHow the indentation reflects nesting
Each level of nesting in the XML adds two spaces of indentation in the text. A parent element prints its name followed by a colon, then its children appear underneath, stepped in. A leaf element prints its name and value together on one line. The outline isn't a formal data format you'd parse back — it's optimised for a human to read, which is exactly the point when you just need to understand what a document contains.
Good uses and honest limits
- Great for reading and sharing: skimming, copying a value, or quoting structure in a message.
- Not a machine format — if you need something a program can re-parse, convert to JSON or YAML instead.
- Attributes that xml2js stores under
$show up as nested keys, so attribute-heavy XML reads as extra indented lines. - XML comments aren't included; only element names, attributes and text content appear.
Frequently asked questions
No — it's a human-readable outline, not a machine format. It's designed for reading, skimming and pasting into messages. If you need something a program can re-parse, convert the XML to JSON or YAML instead.
Through indentation. Each level deeper in the XML adds two spaces, and parent elements print their name on its own line with children stepped in beneath. Leaf elements appear as a single key: value line.
They're preserved as nested keys. xml2js stores attributes under a $ key during parsing, so in the text outline they appear as extra indented lines under their element.
No. Parsing and the text formatting both run locally, so you can safely paste sensitive payloads, logs or configs without anything being uploaded.
No. The converter works on the parsed data, which doesn't include comments. Only element names, attribute values and text content appear in the outline.
The XML wasn't well-formed and couldn't be parsed — commonly an unclosed tag, mismatched nesting, or more than one root element. Correct the structure and the outline will generate.
Need another tool?
Browse the full toolbox or dig into the blog for the engineering behind it.