Add your XLF file
Drop one or more .xlf 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.
XLF to XLIFF
Converting a .xlf 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 XLF 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 XLIFF 1.2 to XLIFF 2.0
Converting a .xlf font to .xliff repackages the same glyphs and metrics for a different delivery target. A .xlf file is an XLIFF document — the OASIS XML standard for moving translation work between tools. Each translatable string becomes a trans-unit holding a source element and, once translated, a target element, wrapped in a file element that records the source and target languages.
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 XLF to XLIFF?
The practical trigger for this conversion is usually a mismatch: with .xlf, verbose — several lines of markup per string. 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.
XLF vs XLIFF at a glance
| Aspect | XLIFF 1.2 (.xlf) | 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 | the root xliff element declares a version; file elements carry source-language and target-language attributes | the root xliff element carries srcLang and trgLang, replacing 1.2's source-language and target-language on file |
| Strongest at | sending strings to a translation agency and getting reviewed work back | interchange with tooling built against the 2.0 core |
| Weak spot | verbose — several lines of markup per string | less widely supported than 1.2 despite being the newer standard |
| Metadata | unit identifiers, source and target text and the declared source/target languages are preserved. Translation state, notes and inline placeholder markup are not carried into flat key-value formats, which have nowhere to record 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.
XLF to XLIFF questions, answered
Will converting XLF to XLIFF lose quality?
There is no visual quality to lose — xlf 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 XLF files here?
Yes — the .xlf 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 XLF?
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 XLF file?
In .xlf, unit identifiers, source and target text and the declared source/target languages are preserved. Translation state, notes and inline placeholder markup are not carried into flat key-value formats, which have nowhere to record 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 XLF?
Yes — the reverse route exists as a separate tool. Bear in mind that round-tripping .xlf → .xliff → .xlf is not a perfect undo when any lossy step is involved; keep your original if fidelity matters.