About the Code Beautifier
Code Beautifier takes HTML, CSS or JavaScript that has been squashed onto a few lines, or indented in a hurry, and lays it out neatly with consistent spacing and line breaks. Choose the language, pick two spaces, four spaces or tabs, optionally wrap long lines, and paste your code. It is handy for reading minified files, tidying snippets before you share them and comparing versions. It only changes layout. It does not check your code for errors, rename anything or bring back the original variable names of minified code. Formatting is done in your browser with the js-beautify library, so nothing is uploaded.
Updated October 2026
How to use the Code Beautifier
- 1Choose HTML, CSS or JavaScript, or press Detect language.
- 2Set the indent, line wrap and, for JavaScript, the brace style.
- 3Paste your code on the left. The tidy version appears on the right.
- 4Copy the result or download it as beautified.html, .css or .js.
What beautifying does
A beautifier reads your code as a stream of tokens and prints it again with tidy spacing. Statements go on their own lines, blocks are indented one level deeper, and operators get a space on each side. In HTML, nested elements are indented so you can see the structure at a glance. In CSS, each declaration gets its own line inside its rule.
The tool re-indents code; it doesn't check it for errors. If your input has a syntax mistake, the output will still be produced and may look wrong near that spot.
Un-minifying files you need to read
Production websites usually ship minified files, with every unnecessary space removed. When you need to understand one, for example to debug a third-party script, paste it here and it becomes many lines of readable code. Only the spacing comes back. Variable and function names that were shortened stay short, and comments that were removed are gone for good.
For a very large file, press the Beautify button when it appears. Texts over 100,000 characters are not formatted live, so typing does not slow the page down.
Indentation and line width
- 2 spaces: compact, popular for web code.
- 4 spaces: roomier, common in many style guides.
- Tab: each reader chooses how wide it looks.
- Wrap long lines: breaks lines that run past 80, 100 or 120 characters where the formatter can. Never leaves lines as they are.
- Keep blank lines: preserves up to two blank lines in a row. Turn it off for a denser result.
- Brace style: for JavaScript, put the opening brace on the same line or on the next line.
Beautify vs lint vs minify
Beautify changes layout only. A linter looks for mistakes and risky patterns. A minifier shrinks files. They work well together: beautify a file to read it, lint it to find problems, and minify the final version with Code Minifier. To read a data file instead, try JSON Formatter or XML Formatter.
Very unusual code may be laid out oddly, and although only layout changes, you should still test important code after formatting it. To go the other direction and shrink code, use the HTML, CSS & JS Minifier, and compare two versions with the Diff Checker.
Features
- Formats HTML, CSS and JavaScript
- Indent with 2 spaces, 4 spaces or tabs
- Optional line wrapping at 80, 100 or 120 characters
- Brace style choice for JavaScript
- Keep or remove blank lines
- Shows how many lines you had before and after
Frequently asked questions
What does a code beautifier do?
It rewrites the whitespace of your code: line breaks, indentation and spaces around operators. The program behaves the same, but it is far easier for a person to read. Beautifying is sometimes called pretty-printing or formatting.
Can it un-minify JavaScript?
It can restore line breaks and indentation, so a one-line minified file becomes readable. It cannot restore original variable names or comments, because a minifier throws those away. Short names such as a, b and c stay as they are.
Does it fix errors in my code?
No. The library re-indents whatever you give it and does not validate it. A missing bracket or a typo will not be reported, and the result may look odd around the mistake. Use your editor or a linter to find errors.
What indent should I use?
Two spaces is common for HTML, CSS and JavaScript on the web, and four spaces is common in many other teams. Tabs let each reader set their own width. Match the style already used in your project so that comparisons stay clean.
Is my code uploaded?
No. The formatter is loaded into the page and runs on your device. Your code is not sent to a server, which is useful for work you would rather keep private.
What is the difference between beautify and minify?
They go in opposite directions. Beautify adds whitespace so people can read the code, and minify removes it so files download faster. Use Code Minifier when you want the smaller version.
Why does my JSX or template code look strange?
The formatter targets plain HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Unusual syntax such as JSX, TypeScript generics or HTML inside template literals may be laid out oddly. Check the result before you rely on it.