Add your XLIFF file
Drop one or more .xliff 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.
XLIFF to STRINGS
Converting a .xliff font to .strings 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 XLIFF 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 2.0 to Apple strings localization
Converting a .xliff font to .strings repackages the same glyphs and metrics for a different delivery target. 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.
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. For this route the practical draw is trivially simple grammar that any tool can read or write and native to Apple's toolchain with no build step beyond copying — balanced against no plural support at all — that requires a second file in a different format, which is worth knowing before you commit a large batch.
Why convert XLIFF to STRINGS?
The practical trigger for this conversion is usually a mismatch: with .xliff, less widely supported than 1.2 despite being the newer standard. Switching to .strings buys you trivially simple grammar that any tool can read or write, which is why it is the better fit for localising an existing iOS, iPadOS or macOS application. Because the conversion runs locally, trying it costs nothing but a few seconds of compute on your own machine.
XLIFF vs STRINGS at a glance
| Aspect | XLIFF 2.0 (.xliff) | Apple strings localization (.strings) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 carries srcLang and trgLang, replacing 1.2's source-language and target-language on file | each entry is `"key" = "value";` — the trailing semicolon is required, and both sides use C-style escapes |
| Strongest at | interchange with tooling built against the 2.0 core | localising an existing iOS, iPadOS or macOS application |
| Weak spot | less widely supported than 1.2 despite being the newer standard | no plural support at all — that requires a second file in a different format |
| Metadata | 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 | 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 |
Pick STRINGS as the output
Select .strings in the output menu next to each file. The menu only offers targets this engine can genuinely produce, so if STRINGS 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 STRINGS file. Outputs keep the original filename with the .strings extension.
XLIFF to STRINGS questions, answered
Will converting XLIFF to STRINGS lose quality?
There is no visual quality to lose — xliff is text-oriented and strings 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 XLIFF files here?
Yes — the .xliff 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 STRINGS file work?
Xcode reads and writes .strings natively, and every translation platform supports it because iOS work demands it. Outside Apple's ecosystem support is incidental. Novus Convert parses the quoted key/value grammar locally, tolerating the comment form, and converts to and from the other localization formats.
Will the STRINGS file be bigger or smaller than my XLIFF?
It depends on the content: each entry is `"key" = "value";` — the trailing semicolon is required, and both sides use C-style escapes. Convert one representative file first and compare before batch-processing a large set.
What happens to the metadata in my XLIFF file?
In .xliff, 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. 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 STRINGS back to XLIFF?
Yes — the reverse route exists as a separate tool. Bear in mind that round-tripping .xliff → .strings → .xliff is not a perfect undo when any lossy step is involved; keep your original if fidelity matters.