Convert iOS .strings to XLIFF 1.2 online
Upload a iOS Localizable.strings file and download it as XLIFF 1.2. Translation keys, plurals and placeholders are preserved. Free, no account needed.
Pick the source format or let the converter detect it from the file.
Used when the source format holds one language per file. Also used as the source language for XLIFF output.
Choose the format you want to download.
XLIFF 1.2 is the XML-based industry standard for exchanging translations with agencies and CAT tools. Each trans-unit carries the source text, the target translation and optional notes.
Need it the other way round? Convert XLIFF 1.2 to iOS .strings.
From: iOS Localizable.strings
The classic Apple format: one "key" = "value"; line per string inside an .lproj folder. Still widely used in UIKit, SwiftUI and macOS projects that have not moved to String Catalogs.
Used by: iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS. One language per file. Read the iOS .strings format guide.
"hello_world" = "Hello World!";
"my_address" = "My address";To: XLIFF 1.2
XLIFF 1.2 is the XML-based industry standard for exchanging translations with agencies and CAT tools. Each trans-unit carries the source text, the target translation and optional notes.
Used by: Xcode, Angular, CAT tools, translation agencies. One language per file. Read the XLIFF 1.2 format guide.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xliff version="1.2">
<file source-language="en" target-language="pl" datatype="plaintext" original="messages">
<body>
<trans-unit id="hello_world">
<source>Hello World</source>
<target>Witaj Świecie</target>
<note>My comment</note>
</trans-unit>
</body>
</file>
</xliff>How to convert iOS .strings to XLIFF 1.2
- Drop your .strings file into the converter above, or paste its content.
- Confirm the language of the file. It is guessed from the file name, for example
de.jsonormessages_pt-BR.properties. - Click Convert. You get one .xliff file per language.
- Preview the result, copy it or download the files.
What changes between iOS .strings and XLIFF 1.2
- The language you enter in the converter becomes the XLIFF source-language, and the same texts fill both source and target elements.
Convert and translate in one place
If you need the XLIFF 1.2 file in more languages, the fastest route is a free SimpleLocalize project: import the iOS .strings file, add languages, run auto-translation with DeepL, Google Translate, OpenAI, Claude or Gemini, and download the result as XLIFF 1.2. The CLI does the same from CI with upload and download commands, so the conversion becomes part of your build. See also translating iOS .strings 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 XLIFF 1.2. Placeholders are kept, and Apple and Android specific syntax is translated between platforms. Read more in the pluralization guide.
Convert iOS .strings to other formats
Translate your XLIFF 1.2 files
- Import iOS .strings or XLIFF 1.2 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