Convert Excel to String Catalog online
Upload a Excel file and download it as Xcode String Catalog (.xcstrings). Translation keys, plurals and placeholders are preserved. Free, no account needed.
Pick the source format or let the converter detect it from the file.
Choose the format you want to download.
String Catalogs were introduced in Xcode 15 and store all languages, plural variants and device variations of a project in one JSON-based .xcstrings file.
Need it the other way round? Convert String Catalog to Excel.
From: Excel
An .xlsx workbook with translation keys in the first column and one column per language. Excel is the format most non-technical translators and reviewers are comfortable with.
Used by: Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice. All languages in one file. Read the Excel format guide.
To: Xcode String Catalog (.xcstrings)
String Catalogs were introduced in Xcode 15 and store all languages, plural variants and device variations of a project in one JSON-based .xcstrings file.
Used by: Xcode 15+, SwiftUI, iOS 17+. All languages in one file. Read the String Catalog format guide.
{
"sourceLanguage" : "en",
"strings" : {
"hello world" : {
"comment" : "My Hello World description",
"extractionState" : "manual",
"localizations" : {
"pl" : {
"stringUnit" : {
"state" : "translated",
"value" : "Witaj Świecie!"
}
}
}
}
},
"version" : "1.0"
}How to convert Excel to String Catalog
- Drop your .xlsx file into the converter above, or paste its content.
- Click Convert. You get a single .xcstrings file with all languages.
- Preview the result, copy it or download the file.
What changes between Excel and String Catalog
- Keys, texts, plural forms and placeholders are mapped one to one. Comments and descriptions are kept when both formats support them.
Convert and translate in one place
If you need the String Catalog file in more languages, the fastest route is a free SimpleLocalize project: import the Excel file, add languages, run auto-translation with DeepL, Google Translate, OpenAI, Claude or Gemini, and download the result as String Catalog. The CLI does the same from CI with upload and download commands, so the conversion becomes part of your build. See also translating Excel files.
Frequently asked questions
Is the converter free?
Yes. There is no signup and no limit on the number of conversions beyond a few requests per second.
Are my files stored?
No. The file is parsed in memory, converted and returned in the same request. Nothing is written to disk or a database.
What about plurals and placeholders?
Plural forms are normalized to ICU message syntax and written back in the native form of String Catalog. Placeholders are kept, and Apple and Android specific syntax is translated between platforms. Read more in the pluralization guide.
Convert Excel to other formats
Translate your String Catalog files
- Import Excel or String Catalog files into a free project
- Auto-translate with DeepL, Google, OpenAI, Claude or Gemini
- Download in any of the supported formats or publish to the CDN