CSS Formatter
Format and beautify your CSS code
Input CSS
Formatted CSS
What is a CSS Formatter?
Ever opened a CSS file and found it completely unreadable? Minified, single-line, or just poorly formatted code makes maintenance a nightmare. This CSS formatter fixes that instantly. It takes your messy CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and organizes it with proper indentation, consistent spacing, and clear structure.
According to MDN Web Docs, well-formatted CSS is crucial for maintainability and collaboration. Our formatter follows the CSS specifications from W3C, ensuring your code remains valid while becoming readable. Whether you're working with vanilla CSS, Bootstrap, or modern frameworks, this tool helps keep your stylesheets clean.
Everything runs locally in your browser. No uploads, no servers – just paste your CSS and get beautifully formatted output instantly.
Why Use This CSS Formatter
Smart Indentation
Automatically applies consistent indentation to nested selectors, media queries, and at-rules. Every level gets proper spacing so you can see the structure at a glance.
Property Organization
Each CSS property gets its own line with consistent spacing. No more hunting through single-line declarations or dealing with random whitespace.
Preserves Comments
Your comments stay intact and properly formatted. Documentation matters, and we make sure it's readable too.
File Upload Support
Working with large CSS files? Just upload them directly. No need to copy-paste thousands of lines – we handle files of any size.
Quick Minify Option
Need to minify instead? One click switches to minification mode, perfect for production builds when you need compact CSS.
Syntax Highlighting
Built-in syntax highlighting makes your CSS easy to read. Selectors, properties, and values are color-coded for instant recognition.
How to Format Your CSS
Add Your CSS
Paste your CSS into the left editor, or click "Upload" to load a .css file. You can also try the "Sample" button to see example formatting. The tool accepts any valid CSS, including modern features and vendor prefixes.
Automatic Formatting
Your CSS is formatted instantly as you type or paste. Watch as selectors get proper indentation, properties align consistently, and the structure becomes crystal clear. Media queries and nested rules are handled automatically.
Copy or Download
Click "Copy" to grab the formatted CSS, or "Download" to save it as a file. Need minified CSS instead? Hit "Minify" to compress it for production. All processing is instant and happens in your browser.
When You'd Use This
Cleaning Minified CSS
Downloaded a minified CSS library and need to understand or modify it? Format it first. Makes debugging and customization so much easier when you can actually read the code.
Code Reviews
Before submitting a pull request, run your CSS through the formatter. Consistent formatting makes reviews faster and reduces style-related comments. Your team will thank you.
Learning CSS
New to CSS? Formatted code is easier to understand. See how selectors nest, how properties are organized, and how media queries work. Much better than reading compressed code.
Legacy Code Maintenance
Inheriting an old project with inconsistent CSS formatting? Run everything through the formatter to establish consistency. Makes future maintenance much more manageable.
Common Questions
Will formatting change how my CSS works?
No. Formatting only changes whitespace and indentation. The actual CSS rules, selectors, and properties remain identical, so your styles work exactly the same way.
Does this validate my CSS?
The formatter will catch basic syntax errors, but for full validation, use a dedicated CSS validator like the W3C CSS Validation Service. This tool focuses on formatting.
What indentation style does it use?
We use 2-space indentation, which is the most common standard in CSS development. It provides clear hierarchy without taking up too much horizontal space.
Can I format SCSS or SASS?
This tool is designed for standard CSS. For Sass/SCSS, you'll want a preprocessor-specific formatter that understands variables, mixins, and nesting syntax.
Is my CSS data safe?
Absolutely. All formatting happens in your browser using JavaScript. Your CSS never leaves your computer – no server uploads, no data storage, completely private.
How large can my CSS file be?
Since processing is local, it depends on your device. Most CSS files format instantly. Even very large files (100KB+) typically process in under a second on modern browsers.
Related CSS Tools
Formatting is just one part of CSS development. Here are other tools that might help:
Want to learn more about CSS? Check out the web.dev CSS course or browse the comprehensive CSS-Tricks guides.