Translate XLIFF
1.2 and 2.0 Files

Upload and translate XLIFF 1.2 or XLIFF 2.0 files in a full-featured editor. Use auto-translation, QA checks and export ready-to-use XLIFF files for your localization pipeline.

Translate your XLIFF file

No credit card required•14-day free trial•Tracking-free service

example.xliff (XLIFF 1.2)

<?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="welcome_message">
        <source>Welcome to SimpleLocalize</source>
        <target state="final">Witamy w SimpleLocalize</target>
        <note>Shown on homepage</note>
      </trans-unit>
      <trans-unit id="logout">
        <source>Log out</source>
        <target>Wyloguj się</target>
      </trans-unit>
    </body>
  </file>
</xliff>

Why teams use XLIFF for translations

XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format) is a standardized way to exchange localization data between tools, which matters most when a translation agency or CAT tool sits between your codebase and the final translated file. It's also the format Xcode uses for iOS and macOS projects, packaged inside .xcloc files.

XLIFF 1.2 pairs a source and target inside a single <trans-unit>. XLIFF 2.0 splits that into a <unit> holding one or more <segment> elements, and adds inline <ph> and <mrk> markup. SimpleLocalize reads and writes both.

XLIFF 2.0 inline placeholder

<unit id="greeting">
  <segment>
    <source>Hello, <ph id="1" equiv="username"/>!</source>
    <target>Cześć, <ph id="1" equiv="username"/>!</target>
  </segment>
</unit>

Beyond source and target

What SimpleLocalize keeps from your XLIFF files

SimpleLocalize preserves XLIFF translation data, context, review status, and locked strings through import and export.

Notes as context

The note element under a trans-unit or unit is imported as translator context.

Review status

A state of "final" (or "signed-off" in 1.2, "reviewed" in 2.0) marks a translation reviewed on import.

Locked strings

translate="no" locks a key in the editor in either version, and is preserved on export.

Inline markup preserved

XLIFF 2.0's ph and mrk elements round-trip through import and export unchanged.

End-to-end workflow

Translate an XLIFF file end to end

Import your XLIFF 1.2 or 2.0 file, review and improve translations in our editor, and export the updated XLIFF back to your localization workflow.

Upload your XLIFF file

Import your XLIFF 1.2 or 2.0 files directly to SimpleLocalize. We preserve translation units, notes and file metadata where supported, whichever version you use.

Supports inline XML tags, placeholders and notes
Preview imported translations before finalizing
Map source and target languages automatically when possible

XLIFF 1.2 format details XLIFF 2.0 format details

Pre-translate texts with auto-translation feature

Edit & improve translations

Use our translation editor to review translations, apply QA checks, and run auto-translation to speed up work.

Run QA checks to catch formatting and placeholder issues
Use translation memory to reuse previous translations
Invite team members and leave contextual notes

Translation Editor

translations.xliff

<?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="welcome_message">
        <source>Welcome to SimpleLocalize</source>
        <target state="final">Witamy w SimpleLocalize</target>
        <note>Shown on homepage</note>
      </trans-unit>
      <trans-unit id="logout">
        <source>Log out</source>
        <target>Wyloguj się</target>
      </trans-unit>
    </body>
  </file>
</xliff>

Export updated XLIFF

Export your translations back to the same XLIFF version you uploaded, preserving the structure and inline tags so you can feed them back into your localization workflow.

Choose which languages to export
Include notes and placeholders as needed
Use the CLI or API for automation

Export translations

For developers

A localization platform,
fluent in both XLIFF versions

Whichever version your CAT tool exports, SimpleLocalize reads the parts that keep review status and locked strings intact.

1.2 and 2.0, both supported

Upload a trans-unit-based 1.2 file or a unit/segment-based 2.0 file, no conversion step needed beforehand.

Review status round-trips

A segment or target's state attribute marks a translation reviewed on import and exports the same way, so review progress survives the trip.

Locked strings respected

A translate="no" unit or trans-unit stays locked in the editor and locked again on export.

CLI and REST API

Upload and download XLIFF files from the CLI with xliff:1.2 or xliff:2, or automate the same logic through the REST API.

SimpleLocalize connects your code to professional translations

More conversions

Convert XLIFF to other formats

Free online converter, no account required. Upload an XLIFF 1.2 or 2.0 file and download it in the format you need.

XLIFF 1.2 to JSON

Move trans-units into a JSON file for the web.

XLIFF 2.0 to JSON

Move unit and segment pairs into a JSON file for the web.

XLIFF 1.2 to CSV

Hand a 1.2 file to a translator as a spreadsheet.

XLIFF 2.0 to Excel

Turn unit and segment pairs into an .xlsx workbook.

Go to Editor

Start translating XLIFF files

XLIFF 1.2 and XLIFF 2.0, both supported natively
Notes, review status and locked strings preserved
Auto-translation with DeepL, Google, OpenAI, Claude and Gemini

Start for free

No credit card required∙5-minute setup

"The product
and support
are fantastic."

Laars Buur|CTO

"The support is
blazing fast,
thank you Jakub!"

Stefan|Developer

"Interface that
makes any dev
feel at home!"

Dario De Cianni|CTO

"Excellent app,
saves my time
and money"

Dmitry Melnik|Developer

Frequently asked questions about XLIFF files

What is XLIFF and why use it?

XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format) is a standardized XML format designed for exchanging localization data. It's especially useful when a translation tool or agency sits between your codebase and the final file, and it's widely used in CAT tools and frameworks like Angular, Ionic or Xcode.

Should I use XLIFF 1.2 or XLIFF 2.0?

Use whichever version your CAT tool, agency or framework already exports. SimpleLocalize reads and writes both, so the choice does not need to be made for our sake. XLIFF 2.0 has a stricter unit/segment structure and native inline placeholder support, while 1.2 remains the more common default in older tooling.

Does SimpleLocalize preserve review status?

Yes, for both versions. A state of "final" or "signed-off" (XLIFF 1.2) or "final" or "reviewed" (XLIFF 2.0) sets the translation status to reviewed on import, and reviewed translations export back with state="final".

Can I lock specific strings from translation?

Yes. A trans-unit (1.2) or unit/segment (2.0) with translate="no" is locked in the editor on import, and the same attribute is written back on export.

Do these features work for older XLIFF 1.2 projects too?

Review status, context groups, resname and the translate attribute export correctly by default for XLIFF 1.2 projects created after April 10, 2026. For older projects, enable the XLIFF_12_VERSION_2 upload/download option to get the same export behavior.

Are inline placeholders like <ph> and <mrk> supported?

Yes. XLIFF 2.0's ph and mrk elements are preserved during import and export, so inline placeholders and marked spans stay intact.

Do I need a subscription to auto-translate XLIFF files?

No, SimpleLocalize offers one-time purchase options to auto-translate XLIFF files up to certain limits, and you can also use your own API keys from providers like Google Translate, OpenAI or DeepL for auto-translation without extra costs.