Quick Answer
An HTML formatter (or beautifier) re-indents markup so every tag sits at the right depth and long lines wrap predictably. This free HTML formatter at https://practicalwebtools.com/dev-tools/web/html-formatter turns minified or messy HTML into clean markup with 2 or 4 space indents, your choice of 80, 120, or 250 character wrapping, and a keep-or-expand choice for inline elements. Byte and line counts show before and after. It runs entirely in this browser tab.
How It Works
Paste your HTML into the input box — a fragment or a full document
Pick the indent width, wrap length, and inline-element handling
Read the line-numbered output with its byte and line counts, then copy it
Key Facts
- Formats fragments and full documents — no doctype needed
- 2-space or 4-space indentation
- Wrap lines at 80, 120, or 250 characters
- Keep inline elements like span and a on one line, or expand everything
- Live byte and line counts before and after formatting
- Line numbers in the output keep long documents navigable
- Runs entirely in this browser tab: your markup is never uploaded
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an HTML formatter and a beautifier?
Nothing — the two names describe the same job. A formatter and a beautifier both rewrite markup with consistent indentation and line breaks so the structure is visible at a glance. Some people say formatter for light re-indenting and beautifier for undoing minification, but this tool does both on the same paste.
Does the formatter change what my HTML does?
No. Tags, attributes, and text content are preserved exactly — only whitespace and line breaks change, and browsers treat that whitespace as insignificant inside block structure. The one real consideration is inside elements where whitespace matters, like pre and textarea; the formatter leaves their content untouched.
What does the inline elements toggle do?
Keep inline leaves inline elements such as span, a, em, and strong on one line with their text, which is usually how you read them best. Expand breaks those elements onto their own lines like block elements, which flattens everything into a uniform outline — useful when you want to see every tag position explicitly.
Will formatting minified HTML bloat my page?
It adds indentation and newlines, so the file grows — the live byte counter shows exactly how much, typically 5 to 15 percent for typical pages. That is fine for reading and editing. Before shipping, minify again or serve the original minified copy; format for humans, minify for wire.
Is my HTML sent anywhere?
No. All formatting happens locally in this browser tab — you can watch the Network tab stay quiet while you type. Nothing is uploaded, logged, or stored; closing the tab discards everything.