How to Format JSON Online (Beautify, Validate & Minify)

Steps to format JSON

1. Copy your raw or minified JSON from your API, file or console.
2. Open the JSON Formatter and paste it.
3. Click Format for indented, highlighted output.
4. Click Minify for compact production output.
5. Fix any red hints (missing or trailing comma), then copy the result.

Example: minified vs formatted

Minified input from an API:

{"name":"Asha","city":"Mumbai","orders":[1,2,3]}

Formatted output after clicking Format:

{
  "name": "Asha",
  "city": "Mumbai",
  "orders": [1, 2, 3]
}

Reading formatted JSON makes nested objects, arrays and missing fields obvious — try it with your own API response in the free formatter.

When to minify instead

Ship minified JSON to production: smaller payloads, faster API calls, lower bandwidth. Keep the beautified copy for debugging. The same tool does both — Format for humans, Minify for machines.

3 common JSON errors and fixes

• Missing comma between keys — add a comma at the end of the previous line.
• Trailing comma after the last item — remove it; JSON forbids trailing commas.
• Single quotes — JSON needs double quotes around keys and strings.

Related tools

• JSON to YAML Converter — convert configs between formats.
• JSON Diff — compare two JSON payloads.
• JSON to TypeScript — generate interfaces instantly.
• Base64 Encoder — encode JSON for URLs and tokens.

Frequently Asked Questions