Select Files
or drag and drop files here
Upload an XML file
How to Convert XML to CSV
Upload XML file
Tool flattens XML structure
Download CSV output
Import to Excel, databases, or analysis tools
XML structures that don't convert reliably
- Mixed content (text + child elements in same parent)
- Deeply nested hierarchies (3+ levels)
- Inconsistent element structures across records
- Heavy use of attributes instead of elements
- XML with multiple root element types
- Document-oriented XML (like XHTML, DocBook)
- XML with significant whitespace or formatting
XML data export formats that convert well
Database XML exports work best: Oracle's XML output, SQL Server FOR XML, MySQL XML export. These use consistent repeating structures. SOAP response envelopes need preprocessing to extract data sections. RSS/Atom feeds convert if items are uniform. Configuration XMLs with list-style elements work. Avoid converting document formats (SVG, XHTML, Office XML)—these aren't tabular data.
Prepare XML for better CSV conversion
- Validate structure: Ensure repeating elements have consistent child elements
- Remove wrapper elements: Strip unnecessary root containers to expose data records
- Flatten attributes: Convert <item id="123"> to <item><id>123</id></item>
- Check encoding: Ensure XML declares UTF-8 encoding in header
- Test small sample first: Convert 5-10 records before processing large files
Use cases for XML to CSV conversion
- Legacy system data exports (older enterprise software outputs XML)
- SOAP API responses converted to spreadsheet format
- XML database dumps imported to SQL databases
- Government/public data files (many use XML format)
- RSS feed data analysis in Excel
- Configuration file migration from XML to CSV-based systems
- Scientific data formats (some lab equipment exports XML)
- Financial data feeds (FIX protocol, OFX banking formats)
XML vs CSV for data exchange
Alternative approaches for complex XML
For complex XML: use XSLT transformations to flatten structure before conversion. Online XSLT processors or xmlstarlet command-line tool. For programmatic control: Python xml.etree with custom flattening logic, or lxml library. For one-off conversions: Excel's Data → From XML feature with custom mapping. For batch processing: Apache Camel or Talend ETL tools handle complex XML-to-CSV transformations with visual mapping.
Key Features
Basic Structure Flattening
Converts simple repeating XML elements to CSV rows. Complex nested hierarchies may not convert cleanly.
Element to Column Mapping
XML element names become CSV column headers. Values populate corresponding cells.
UTF-8 Output
Preserves international characters from XML source.
Privacy & Security
Client-side processing via xml-js library. Files stay in browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
What XML structure works best?
Repeating parent elements with child elements as data: <records><record><name>...</name><age>...</age></record></records>. Each <record> becomes CSV row.
What happens to XML attributes?
Attributes may be ignored or merged into element values depending on structure. For reliable conversion, use element values not attributes.
Can this handle deeply nested XML?
No. Tool flattens simple structures only. Deeply nested XML (3+ levels) produces unpredictable results. Preprocess with XSLT or flatten manually.
What about XML namespaces?
Namespaces are stripped. <ns:element> becomes <element>. If namespace prefixes matter, transform XML first.
Will CDATA sections preserve?
CDATA content extracts as plain text. Formatting/special characters within CDATA preserved.