Add your STRINGS file
Drop one or more .strings files onto the converter above, or browse for them. They load into browser memory only — nothing is uploaded, so there is no size-based pricing and no server queue.
STRINGS to XLIFF
Converting a .strings font to .xliff repackages the same glyphs and metrics for a different delivery target. Free, private, and validated — the file never leaves your browser.
Private for supported formats — processed in your browser
Runs on your deviceConvert supported files
Drop STRINGS files here
Batch files can each use a different output. Nothing uploads for local conversions.
Working inputs include camera RAW, browser-local audio/video, PDF, CBZ/CBR comics, office documents, ebooks, markup, 3D models, structured text, images, and archives.About converting Apple strings localization to XLIFF 2.0
Converting a .strings font to .xliff repackages the same glyphs and metrics for a different delivery target. A .strings file is Apple's localization resource: a flat list of "key" = "value"; statements, one per translatable string, usually named Localizable.strings and stored inside a per-language .lproj directory. It is what NSLocalizedString and its SwiftUI equivalents look up at runtime.
A .xliff file is an XLIFF document written with the long extension, most often at version 2.0 — the redesigned OASIS standard in which each translatable string is a unit containing one or more segments, each with its own source and target. The payload matches the .xlf form; the structure is what changed. For this route the practical draw is a much cleaner specification than 1.2, with a genuinely small mandatory core and modules make optional capability explicit instead of implied — balanced against less widely supported than 1.2 despite being the newer standard, which is worth knowing before you commit a large batch.
Why convert STRINGS to XLIFF?
The practical trigger for this conversion is usually a mismatch: with .strings, no plural support at all — that requires a second file in a different format. Switching to .xliff buys you a much cleaner specification than 1.2, with a genuinely small mandatory core, which is why it is the better fit for interchange with tooling built against the 2.0 core. Because the conversion runs locally, trying it costs nothing but a few seconds of compute on your own machine.
STRINGS vs XLIFF at a glance
| Aspect | Apple strings localization (.strings) | XLIFF 2.0 (.xliff) |
|---|---|---|
| Format type | Text-based — characters and structure, so there is no visual quality loss | Text-based — characters and structure, so there is no visual quality loss |
| How it stores data | each entry is `"key" = "value";` — the trailing semicolon is required, and both sides use C-style escapes | the root xliff element carries srcLang and trgLang, replacing 1.2's source-language and target-language on file |
| Strongest at | localising an existing iOS, iPadOS or macOS application | interchange with tooling built against the 2.0 core |
| Weak spot | no plural support at all — that requires a second file in a different format | less widely supported than 1.2 despite being the newer standard |
| Metadata | keys and translated values are preserved. Comments are not treated as structured notes, and plural rules cannot be represented — a catalog with plurals converted into .strings will lose the plural forms because the format has no way to hold them | unit identifiers, source and target text and the declared languages are preserved. Module data — change tracking, glossary entries, translation candidates — and inline markup are not represented in flat key-value targets |
Pick XLIFF as the output
Select .xliff in the output menu next to each file. The menu only offers targets this engine can genuinely produce, so if XLIFF is selectable, the route is real and validated.
Convert on your device
Press Convert. The font tables are parsed and rewritten locally with fonteditor-core; glyph outlines, hinting, and kerning survive the trip.
Verify and download
Each result is signature-checked before the download unlocks, so a failed encode can never masquerade as a valid XLIFF file. Outputs keep the original filename with the .xliff extension.
STRINGS to XLIFF questions, answered
Will converting STRINGS to XLIFF lose quality?
There is no visual quality to lose — strings is text-oriented and xliff is text-oriented, so the question is structural fidelity. Text, ordering, and basic structure are preserved; complex layout, embedded objects, and styling beyond the target's model are simplified.
Is it private to convert STRINGS files here?
Yes — the .strings file is processed inside your browser tab and never uploaded. The font tables are parsed and rewritten locally with fonteditor-core; glyph outlines, hinting, and kerning survive the trip. Close the tab and the file is gone from memory.
Where will the XLIFF file work?
Support is good in modern translation management systems and patchier in older desktop tools, so 1.2 remains the safer choice when a recipient's capabilities are unknown. Novus Convert parses 2.0 units and segments alongside 1.2 trans-units, refuses documents with a doctype or custom entities, and converts locally to the other nine localization formats.
Will the XLIFF file be bigger or smaller than my STRINGS?
It depends on the content: the root xliff element carries srcLang and trgLang, replacing 1.2's source-language and target-language on file. Convert one representative file first and compare before batch-processing a large set.
What happens to the metadata in my STRINGS file?
In .strings, keys and translated values are preserved. Comments are not treated as structured notes, and plural rules cannot be represented — a catalog with plurals converted into .strings will lose the plural forms because the format has no way to hold them. Re-encoding through the browser pipeline does not carry embedded metadata into the output, which doubles as a privacy scrub — check the exported file if you specifically need tags preserved.
Can I convert XLIFF back to STRINGS?
Yes — the reverse route exists as a separate tool. Bear in mind that round-tripping .strings → .xliff → .strings is not a perfect undo when any lossy step is involved; keep your original if fidelity matters.