XML Viewer Online — Free Tree View & Browser

Browse any XML document as a read-only indented tree with collapsible branches, inline attributes, and visible namespaces. Inspect SOAP envelopes, RSS feeds, and config files without leaving the browser.

Input XML

XML Tree View

What is an XML Viewer?

An XML viewer renders an XML document as a read-only indented tree so you can navigate elements, attributes, and namespaces visually instead of squinting at a single line of raw markup. The viewer never modifies the source — it is a passive lens for inspection.

When you receive a SOAP response from a partner, an unfamiliar RSS feed, or an XML export from a legacy system, the first question is usually "what is in here?" The OpenFormatter XML viewer answers that question with a clean indented tree showing every element, attribute, and namespace prefix. Parsing happens in your browser via DOMParser — your XML never leaves the page.

How to view XML online — 4 steps

Paste your XML. Drop a SOAP envelope, RSS feed, or any XML source into the Input panel. Click Load Sample for a demo SOAP message.
Click View. The tool parses the document client-side and renders an indented, browse-friendly tree.
Skim the tree. Element names, attribute pairs, and namespace prefixes appear inline at every nesting level — fold subtrees out of your attention by scrolling past their indent block.
Copy if useful. Use the Copy button to grab the rendered text for documentation, code review, or a bug report.

Sample input vs tree view

Before — single line

<soap:Envelope xmlns:soap="..."><soap:Body><m:GetStockPrice><m:StockName>IBM</m:StockName></m:GetStockPrice></soap:Body></soap:Envelope>

After — tree view

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<soap:Envelope xmlns:soap="...">
  <soap:Body>
    <m:GetStockPrice>
      <m:StockName>IBM</m:StockName>
    </m:GetStockPrice>
  </soap:Body>
</soap:Envelope>

Read-Only Tree

A passive lens for inspection — every element, attribute, and namespace is rendered for skimming, but the source XML is never modified.

Collapse / Expand

Indentation makes branches easy to fold out of attention. Skip past long subtrees by scrolling, then return when you need the detail.

Attributes & Namespaces Inline

Attribute pairs sit on the same line as the element. Namespace declarations and prefixes (soap:, xsi:) are visible at every level.

Common use cases

check_circleInspecting SOAP API response payloads during integration debugging
check_circleExploring unfamiliar RSS, Atom, and podcast feed structures before consuming
check_circleBrowsing XSD schema files to understand element hierarchies and constraints
check_circleReviewing XML message-bus payloads from enterprise middleware (TIBCO, MQ)
check_circleInspecting XML exports from legacy databases, CRMs, or ERP systems
check_circleReading SAML assertions, WS-Security headers, and signed XML envelopes
check_circleChecking XLIFF translation bundles before localization handoff
check_circleAuditing OOXML, SVG, and XHTML fragments extracted from compound documents

Viewer vs editor vs formatter

The Viewer is read-only and built for inspection — paste, look, move on. The XML Editor lets you mutate the document (insert, delete, modify nodes). The XML Formatter indents and returns the same XML for copy-back. Three different jobs — pick the one that matches your task.

Need to do more than view?

Edit, validate, format, or convert XML — all browser-side, all free.

XML Editor XML Validator XML to JSON

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the XML Viewer read-only or can I edit?

Read-only by design. The viewer parses your XML and renders an indented, browse-friendly tree — there is no node editor, no insert/delete UI, and no way to mutate the document. If you need to edit XML, use the XML Editor tool; if you need to format and copy back, use the XML Formatter.

How does collapse/expand work in the tree?

Each element is rendered with its opening tag visible at its indent level. Branches that contain children can be visually collapsed by skim-reading — you fold long subtrees out of your attention by skipping past their indentation block. The viewer keeps the entire tree on screen so you can scroll through it linearly without losing context.

Are attributes shown inline with the element?

Yes. Attribute names and values appear on the same line as the element they belong to (e.g. <book id="bk101" lang="en">). This makes scanning faster than a panel-based viewer where attributes hide behind a click — every property is visible as you read down the document.

Are XML namespaces and prefixes visible?

Yes. xmlns declarations, prefixed elements (soap:Body, xsi:type), and prefixed attributes are rendered exactly as the parser sees them. Namespace URIs are visible at the element where they are declared, so you can trace which prefix maps to which schema without leaving the viewer.

How large an XML file can the viewer handle?

The viewer uses the browser's built-in DOMParser, which comfortably handles documents up to a few megabytes (tens of thousands of elements). For multi-hundred-MB enterprise XML dumps, a streaming SAX-based desktop tool is more appropriate — DOM parsers load the entire document into memory.

Does the viewer modify or sanitize my XML?

No. The viewer is a passive renderer: it parses the document, walks the resulting DOM, and emits an indented text view. CDATA, comments, processing instructions, and entity references are kept faithful to the source.

Can I view a malformed XML file?

Partially. The DOMParser stops at the first fatal well-formedness error and emits a parsererror node — the viewer surfaces that error message instead of a tree. To diagnose what went wrong, run the document through the XML Validator first; once well-formed, it renders here.

Is the XML I view sent to your servers?

No. Parsing and rendering both happen in JavaScript inside your browser. SOAP envelopes with credentials, signed payloads, or sensitive business data never leave the device. Inspect DevTools → Network — clicking View produces zero requests.