Is my CSS sent to a server?

No. All formatting and minification runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript string processing. Your CSS never leaves your device.

What does CSS beautification do?

The beautifier parses the minified CSS and re-outputs it with each selector on its own line, properties indented inside rule blocks, and blank lines between rule sets for readability.

Does it handle media queries and nested at-rules?

Yes. @media, @keyframes, @supports, and other at-rules are handled with correct outer and inner indentation.

Will minifying CSS break my styles?

No. CSS minification only removes whitespace and comments: it does not change property values, selectors, or specificity. The resulting CSS is functionally identical to the original.

What does sorting properties do?

Sorting properties alphabetizes all CSS declarations inside each rule block. This is a code style preference that makes it easier to find a specific property in large rule sets.

Does it support CSS custom properties (variables)?

Yes. CSS custom properties like --primary-color: #6366f1 are treated as regular declarations and formatted correctly.

Can it handle SCSS or Less?

The formatter is designed for standard CSS. SCSS-specific syntax like nesting and variables will be partially preserved but may not format as expected.

How much can minification save?

Typical stylesheets see 15–40% size reduction from minification. The savings depend on how much whitespace and how many comments exist in the original.

Is there a limit on file size?

There is no enforced limit. The tool processes files in your browser's memory. Stylesheets under a few hundred kilobytes format instantly.

CSS Formatter & Minifier

Beautify or minify CSS. Optionally sort properties alphabetically.

Indent:

Sort properties

Original: 338 B·Output: 334 B·Rules: 6

Input

Output

body {
  margin:0;
  padding:0;
  font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
  background-color:#f5f5f5
}

.container {
  max-width:1200px;
  margin:0 auto;
  padding:0 20px
}

h1,h2,h3 {
  color:#333;
  font-weight:bold
}

a:hover {
  color:#0066cc;
  text-decoration:underline
}
@media (max-width:768px) {
  .container {
    padding:0 10px
  }
}

Format CSS online: instant beautifier and compressor

AlteredIdea's CSS Formatter makes it trivial to go from production-minified CSS back to readable code, or from development CSS to a compact production bundle. Paste any stylesheet and get cleanly formatted output with one click: no account, no upload, no waiting for a server.

The beautify mode reconstructs indentation for nested at-rules, separates rule blocks with blank lines, and keeps your stylesheet easy to scan and edit. The optional property sorting feature alphabetizes declarations inside each rule, which helps enforce a consistent code style across a team without requiring a linting pipeline.

Because everything runs in your browser, proprietary design systems, unreleased product stylesheets, and internal tooling CSS never reach an external server. This makes AlteredIdea the safest way to work with confidential CSS assets.

How to format CSS online: step by step

1
Paste your CSS
Copy any CSS: a stylesheet, a design token file, a component's styles: and paste it into the Input panel.
2
Choose Beautify or Minify
Beautify adds indentation and line breaks for readability. Minify strips all whitespace and comments to reduce file size for production.
3
Set indent size (beautify mode)
Choose 2 or 4 spaces to match your project's coding convention.
4
Optionally sort properties
Enable Sort Properties to alphabetize CSS declarations inside each rule block: useful for enforcing a consistent style across your team.
5
Copy the output
Click Copy to send the result to your clipboard. Check the stats bar to see original size, output size, and savings percentage.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is my CSS sent to a server?: No. All formatting and minification runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript string processing. Your CSS never leaves your device.
What does CSS beautification do?: The beautifier parses the minified CSS and re-outputs it with each selector on its own line, properties indented inside rule blocks, and blank lines between rule sets for readability.
Does it handle media queries and nested at-rules?: Yes. @media, @keyframes, @supports, and other at-rules are handled with correct outer and inner indentation.
Will minifying CSS break my styles?: No. CSS minification only removes whitespace and comments: it does not change property values, selectors, or specificity. The resulting CSS is functionally identical to the original.
What does sorting properties do?: Sorting properties alphabetizes all CSS declarations inside each rule block. This is a code style preference that makes it easier to find a specific property in large rule sets.
Does it support CSS custom properties (variables)?: Yes. CSS custom properties like --primary-color: #6366f1 are treated as regular declarations and formatted correctly.
Can it handle SCSS or Less?: The formatter is designed for standard CSS. SCSS-specific syntax like nesting and variables will be partially preserved but may not format as expected.
How much can minification save?: Typical stylesheets see 15–40% size reduction from minification. The savings depend on how much whitespace and how many comments exist in the original.
Is there a limit on file size?: There is no enforced limit. The tool processes files in your browser's memory. Stylesheets under a few hundred kilobytes format instantly.

AlteredIdea vs alternatives

vs online CSS beautifiers: Many online CSS formatters send your stylesheet to their backend. AlteredIdea is fully client-side: your CSS never leaves your browser.

vs VS Code / Prettier: Prettier requires a Node.js project and configuration. AlteredIdea is instant: open a browser tab, paste, done. No install, no .prettierrc.

vs paid tools: Completely free with no subscription, no API key, and no usage limits. Format and minify as many stylesheets as you need.

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