plainlyJSON beautifier
A little structure. A lot more clarity.
Format your JSON, without changing your data.
Up to 1 MiB. Ctrl+Enter or Cmd+Enter to beautify.
Same values and key order. Just cleaner spacing.
Example JSON, formatted with two spaces.
Your JSON stays in this tab. No upload or account required.
Make sense
of the brackets.
This free online JSON beautifier gives compact JSON room to breathe. Objects and arrays are laid out on separate lines, nested values are indented, and the result is ready to copy into an editor or save as a JSON file.
How to beautify JSON
Paste your JSON into the left panel, or use Open file to choose a local file. Select two spaces, four spaces, or a tab, then click Beautify JSON. Copy the result or download it as formatted.json. On a keyboard, Ctrl+Enter or Cmd+Enter formats the input.
JSON beautifier, formatter, or minifier?
A beautifier and a formatter do the same job here: add consistent spacing so JSON is easier to read. Minify takes away unnecessary spaces and line breaks. Both keep whitespace inside quoted strings, including spaces in names or messages.
Clear errors, without guessing your meaning
If the input is invalid, the tool shows the browser’s syntax error and leaves the output empty. Check for a missing bracket, an extra comma, or a key without double quotes. This is a syntax check, not a check against a JSON Schema or your application’s rules. It does not silently repair data.
The same data.
Easier to read.
Here is a small object after formatting. The spaces help you spot where each value belongs; they are not part of the values themselves.
{
"name": "Alex",
"active": true,
"tags": [
"design",
"development"
]
}Keep long numbers and original key order
The formatter checks the syntax, then changes only whitespace outside strings. It preserves number text such as 9007199254740993, 1.2300, and 1e+3 rather than converting those numbers into JavaScript values and writing them back. Escaped characters and the order of object members also stay as supplied.
That protects your source while formatting. A program that reads the downloaded JSON may still apply its own number precision or interpret repeated keys differently. Prefer unique keys when exchanging data between systems.
Small enough to stay quick
Formatting runs only when you ask for it. There is no code editor package, server conversion, or account step. Input is limited to 1 MiB and 100 levels of nesting; expanded output is limited to about four million characters. For very large documents, use a local editor designed for large files.
For the underlying format, see the JSON specification (RFC 8259).
Good questions.
Straight answers.
Is this JSON beautifier free?
Yes. Beautifying, minifying, opening local files, copying, and downloading are free. No signup is required.
Is my JSON uploaded or stored?
No. This tool processes the text and files you choose in your browser. It does not upload your JSON or save it to website storage. Reloading clears your working data; downloaded files remain on your device.
Can I minify JSON too?
Yes. Click Minify to remove whitespace outside quoted strings. The result can be copied or downloaded as minified.json. Click Beautify JSON to switch back to an indented view.
Why does my JSON show an error?
JSON requires double quotes for keys and strings. Trailing commas, comments, single-quoted strings, undefined, and NaN are not valid JSON. Check the error message, correct the input, and format again.
Does JSON have to start with an object or array?
No. A string, number, true, false, or null can be a valid JSON document on its own. This tool accepts those values too, though your application may require a particular structure.
Will formatting round large numbers?
No. The output preserves the original number tokens, including long integers and exponent notation. It also preserves repeated keys. This does not make duplicate keys safe or guarantee that another application can represent every number precisely.
Can it fix broken JSON or validate a schema?
It reports syntax errors, but does not guess missing values, repair malformed input, or validate a JSON Schema. You decide how to correct your data.
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