How to Convert XML to TSV
When you want XML data in a spreadsheet, TSV is often the smoothest path — it pastes straight into Excel and Google Sheets, dropping each value neatly into its own cell without the quoting quirks CSV sometimes has. This converter makes it instant. It parses your XML with a real parser, finds the repeated record elements under the root, and turns each into a tab-separated row. Child elements become columns, attributes become their own prefixed columns, and records with different fields are unioned so everything stays aligned with blanks for the gaps. Any tabs or newlines inside a value are replaced with spaces so your columns never shift. Choose whether to include a header row, then copy or download. Everything runs in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.
Paste your XML
Paste your document or load the sample; it's parsed locally with nothing uploaded.
Choose the options
Toggle the header row and whether attributes become columns.
Copy or download
Grab the TSV with one tap or save it as a .tsv file.
XML vs TSV — What's the Difference?
XML — Extensible Markup Language
A tag-based, hierarchical format where records live in repeated named elements with optional attributes. It's self-describing and powerful, but spreadsheets can't open it directly — the rows are implied by structure.
TSV — tab-separated values
A flat table format where tabs separate columns and newlines separate rows. It pastes cleanly into spreadsheets and avoids the quoting edge cases of CSV. Converting XML to TSV flattens records into a paste-ready table.
Common Use Cases
Paste XML into Excel
Turn an XML export into TSV and paste it straight into a spreadsheet.
Google Sheets imports
TSV drops neatly into Sheets with each value in its own cell.
Feed & catalog data
Flatten product feeds or catalog XML into a table for review.
Legacy output
Convert XML from older systems into a simple tabular format.
Data review
See many XML records as an aligned grid to spot gaps quickly.
Downstream tools
Feed tab-separated data to scripts and tools that prefer TSV.
Clean handoff
Give teammates a paste-ready table instead of raw XML.
Quick inspection
See what row data an XML file contains in seconds.
Tips & Best Practices
Structure XML as repeated records
A root wrapping many same-named elements converts most cleanly — each becomes a row.
Paste directly into a sheet
TSV is the format spreadsheets expect on paste, so it lands in cells without an import step.
Decide on attributes
Keep attributes for ids and metadata as columns, or turn them off for an element-only table.
Trust tab sanitising
Tabs and newlines inside values become spaces automatically, so columns never break.
Header on for spreadsheets
Keep the header row so your columns are labelled when pasted into a sheet.
Flatten deep nesting first
Deeply nested elements are flattened to text; flatten the XML for separate columns.
Troubleshooting
It says the XML is invalid
XML must be well-formed: tags balanced and closed, one root element, and special characters escaped. Fix any unclosed tags and try again.
Only one row appears
The root probably doesn't contain repeated same-named elements, so the whole document is treated as one record. Wrap your records in a common parent.
Columns look shifted
A value may have contained a tab or newline. Those are replaced with spaces automatically; re-copy the output rather than an edited version.
Attributes are missing
Turn on 'Include attributes'. They appear as columns with an @ prefix so they never clash with element names.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert XML to TSV for free?
Paste your XML above and tab-separated values appear instantly. Copy them or download a .tsv file — free, no signup.
How does it decide what a row is?
It looks for repeated same-named elements directly under the root and treats each as a row. If there's no repetition, the whole document becomes one record.
What becomes a column?
Each record's child elements become columns, and — when enabled — attributes become their own columns with an @ prefix.
What if records have different fields?
Every field across all records becomes a column, and any record missing one gets an empty cell so the table stays aligned.
Why TSV instead of CSV?
TSV pastes directly into Excel and Google Sheets and avoids CSV's quoting edge cases, since tabs rarely appear inside values.
What happens to tabs inside a value?
Any tab or newline inside a value is replaced with a space so your columns never shift out of alignment.
Are attributes included?
Yes, when 'Include attributes' is on. Turn it off for a cleaner table built only from element content.
Can I omit the header row?
Yes. Turn off the header option to output only the data rows.
Does the preview use real tabs?
The preview shows tabs as → for clarity, but the copied and downloaded output contains real tab characters.
Will it paste into Excel correctly?
Yes. Copy the output and paste into Excel or Sheets and each value lands in its own cell.
What about deeply nested elements?
Nested child elements are flattened to their text content in a cell; flatten the XML beforehand for separate columns.
Is my data sent to a server?
No. Everything happens inside your browser, so your data never leaves your device.
Can I download the result?
Yes. Save the output as a .tsv file, or copy it straight to your clipboard.
How large a document can it handle?
It comfortably converts sizeable XML documents with many records, all in your browser.
Can I convert to CSV instead?
Yes — use our XML to CSV converter for comma-separated output.
Does it handle namespaces?
Namespaced tags keep their prefixes as part of the column names, so the structure is preserved.
Does it work on phones?
Yes, in any modern browser on Windows, Mac, Android or iPhone with nothing to install.
Is this converter really free?
Completely free, forever — no account, no ads and no premium wall.
100% free · No signup · Processed in your browser · Data never sent
Last updated: August 2026 · FlipMyFormat XML to TSV Converter
Written and maintained by the FlipMyFormat team · Runs entirely in your browser