Free Online JSON Formatter
Format, validate, minify and clean up JSON quickly and easily.
JSON Formatter
Paste your JSON below to format or validate it.
Tip: Ctrl + Enter to format · Ctrl + K to clear
Your formatted JSON will appear here.
How it works
- Paste JSON from an API response, log or config file.
- Click Format to beautify it, or Validate to check the syntax.
- Fix any error at the reported position, then copy or download the result.
- Use Minify when you need compact JSON again.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my JSON invalid when it looks fine?
The most common causes are single quotes instead of double quotes, a trailing comma after the last item, unquoted property names and comments. These are allowed in JavaScript objects but not in strict JSON.
Does formatting change my JSON values or key order?
No. Formatting only adds indentation and line breaks. Values, keys and their order stay the same, although very large numbers beyond JavaScript's safe integer range may lose precision.
How large a JSON file can I format?
Files of several megabytes format comfortably in a modern browser. Extremely large files may make the page slower because everything is processed on your device.
Is it safe to paste API responses with tokens?
Your JSON is processed in your browser and not uploaded to our servers. As a general habit, still avoid sharing screenshots of secrets.
JSON Formatter
JSON, or JavaScript Object Notation, is a lightweight format commonly used for storing and exchanging structured data. JSON is widely used by websites, APIs and applications.
When JSON contains little or no whitespace, it can be difficult to read. A JSON formatter adds indentation and line breaks, making the structure much easier to understand.
What does a JSON formatter do?
A JSON formatter takes valid JSON and reorganizes its appearance using indentation and line breaks. The underlying data remains unchanged.
For example, compact JSON such as {"name":"John","age":30} can be formatted into a more readable structure.
How to format JSON
Paste your JSON into the input box above and click Format . The formatter will check that the JSON is valid and display it with readable indentation.
How to validate JSON
JSON must follow a specific syntax. Missing quotation marks, brackets, commas or other characters can make JSON invalid.
Click Validate to check whether your JSON is syntactically valid. If there is an error, the tool will display a message explaining where the problem occurred.
What is JSON minification?
JSON minification removes unnecessary whitespace and line breaks from JSON. This produces a smaller representation that can be useful when transferring data between applications.
Click Minify to remove unnecessary formatting while keeping the JSON data intact.
Common JSON errors
- Using single quotes instead of double quotes
- Missing commas between properties
- Missing quotation marks around property names
- Unclosed brackets or braces
- Trailing commas after the final property
- Using invalid JSON values
Is this JSON formatter free?
Yes. This JSON formatter is completely free to use and does not require an account or registration.
Your JSON is processed directly in your browser and is not uploaded to a server by this tool.