en
XLIFF Translation
Target Language: zh-Hans-CN (Chinese, Simplified Chinese, China)
The code of the target language. Example: en, en-US, fil, zh-Hans-CN. Type to search.
Translate Metadata:
Indicates whether to translate XLIFF metadata such as notes and context information along with the translatable segments. Disabling this option ensures that metadata remains unchanged in the translated output.
Use Contractions:
Indicates whether to use grammar contractions. Using contractions makes the translation less formal.
Use Shortening:
Indicates whether to use shortened forms if the translation is longer than the source text.
Terminology:
Source XLIFF Content:
AI translation takes time (up to 5 minutes) as the AI processes your content. This XLIFF Translation page translates in real-time and does not store your content on our servers. For large XLIFF files, we recommend using the I18N File Translation page for more reliable delivery. Please do not leave this page until translation is complete.

Learn About AI Translation

Discover why AI-powered translation is better for i18n files than traditional methods

Explore the API

Integrate AI-powered localization directly into your CI/CD pipeline

Use Integrations

Bring AI localization into your workflow with our extensions and plugins

How to Translate XLIFF Files Online

Translating XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format) files with our AI-powered service is fast and accurate. Follow these steps to translate your XLIFF content while preserving the full XML structure, inline elements, and translation metadata.

  1. Paste Your XLIFF Content: In the "Source XLIFF Content" section, paste your XLIFF file content. Our service supports both XLIFF 1.2 and XLIFF 2.0 formats, including trans-unit elements, segment entries, notes, and inline markup.
  2. Set Target Language: Enter the target language code (e.g., 'fr-FR' for French, 'de' for German, 'ja' for Japanese) for the translation.
  3. Start Translation: Click the "Translate" button to begin. Our AI processes the XLIFF structure, fills in <target> elements while preserving <source> entries, notes, inline tags, and all XML attributes.
  4. Copy or Save: After the translation is complete, copy the translated XLIFF content to your clipboard or save it as a .xliff file ready to import into your localization tool or development project.

What Is XLIFF? — XML Localization Interchange File Format

XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format) is an open XML-based standard developed by OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) specifically for exchanging localization data between tools and systems. XLIFF is the industry standard for professional translation and localization workflows.

XLIFF files use a structured XML format to store translatable text segments alongside their translations, metadata, and context information. Each translation unit contains a source element (the original text) and a target element (the translated text), making it easy for translation tools and translators to process content systematically.

XLIFF is widely adopted across the localization industry and is supported by major development frameworks including Angular, professional CAT (Computer-Assisted Translation) tools like SDL Trados, memoQ, Memsource, and Smartling, as well as enterprise content management systems and translation management platforms.

XLIFF 1.2 File Structure

An XLIFF 1.2 file consists of a well-defined XML structure with the following key elements:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xliff version="1.2" xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.2">
  <file source-language="en" target-language="fr" datatype="plaintext" original="messages">
    <body>
      <trans-unit id="greeting">
        <source>Welcome to our application</source>
        <target/>
        <note>Displayed on the homepage header</note>
      </trans-unit>
      <trans-unit id="login.button">
        <source>Sign in to your account</source>
        <target/>
      </trans-unit>
      <trans-unit id="items.count">
        <source>You have {count} new messages</source>
        <target/>
      </trans-unit>
    </body>
  </file>
</xliff>
  • <xliff> — The root element that declares the XLIFF version and namespace. The version attribute specifies the XLIFF standard version used (1.2 or 2.0).
  • <file> — Contains a group of translation units. Attributes include source-language, target-language, datatype, and original (the source file name).
  • <trans-unit> — The primary translation element in XLIFF 1.2. Each trans-unit has a unique id attribute and contains source and target elements.
  • <source> — Contains the original text to be translated. This element is preserved unchanged during the translation process.
  • <target> — Contains the translated text for the target language. Empty or absent target elements indicate untranslated segments.
  • <note> — Provides context or instructions for translators. Notes help the AI understand the intended meaning and usage of each string.

XLIFF 1.2 vs. XLIFF 2.0

XLIFF 1.2 is the most widely used version and is supported by virtually all CAT tools and localization platforms. It uses <trans-unit> elements inside a <body> element. XLIFF 2.0 is a modernized version that uses <unit> and <segment> elements, offering better support for inline elements, annotations, and metadata modules.

Our service accepts both XLIFF 1.2 and XLIFF 2.0 content. Simply paste either format, and the AI will generate translations while preserving the exact XML structure and version-specific elements.

XLIFF 2.0 Example

Here is a typical XLIFF 2.0 file with units and segments:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xliff version="2.0" xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:2.0"
       srcLang="en" trgLang="de">
  <file id="messages" original="messages.properties">
    <unit id="greeting">
      <segment>
        <source>Welcome to our application</source>
        <target/>
      </segment>
      <notes>
        <note category="description">Displayed on the homepage header</note>
      </notes>
    </unit>
    <unit id="login.button">
      <segment>
        <source>Sign in to your account</source>
        <target/>
      </segment>
    </unit>
  </file>
</xliff>

Why Use Our XLIFF Translation Service

  • AI-powered contextual translation: Our advanced AI understands XLIFF structure, handles inline elements (such as <x/>, <g>, <ph>, and <bx/>/<ex/> tags), and adapts translations to cultural nuances for the target language.
  • Full XLIFF format support: Our service handles all XLIFF features including notes, context groups, state attributes, inline markup, and metadata. The complete XML structure is preserved during translation.
  • XLIFF 1.2 and 2.0 support: Correctly processes both XLIFF 1.2 (trans-unit based) and XLIFF 2.0 (unit/segment based) files, including version-specific features like XLIFF 2.0 modules for glossary, translation candidates, and metadata.
  • Locale-specific adjustments: Automatically adapts numbers, dates, and other locale-sensitive content within translated strings to match the target language conventions.
  • Error handling: Detects and corrects AI translation errors, ensuring consistently high-quality XLIFF file output with valid XML structure.
  • Cost-effective: Enjoy affordable pricing with 30,000 free characters monthly. View Pricing
  • Optimized for large XLIFF files: Efficiently processes large XLIFF files by dividing them into manageable chunks, ensuring translation consistency with predefined terminology and context across all translation units.

Common Use Cases for XLIFF File

XLIFF is the industry-standard localization interchange format used across a wide range of platforms, tools, and frameworks:

  • Angular: Angular's built-in internationalization (i18n) system uses XLIFF as its primary translation file format. The Angular CLI ng extract-i18n command generates XLIFF files (1.2 or 2.0) from your component templates, making XLIFF translation essential for Angular developers.
  • CAT Tools (SDL Trados, memoQ, Memsource, Wordfast): Professional Computer-Assisted Translation tools use XLIFF as a universal exchange format. Translators and LSPs (Language Service Providers) rely on XLIFF to move content between different tools and workflows.
  • iOS / Xcode: Apple's Xcode IDE supports XLIFF export and import for localizing iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS applications. The xcodebuild -exportLocalizations command generates XLIFF files for translation.
  • Java / Spring: Java-based applications and frameworks can use XLIFF for managing translations, especially in enterprise environments where XLIFF integrates with content management systems and translation management platforms.
  • Drupal: Drupal's TMGMT (Translation Management Tool) module uses XLIFF for exchanging translations with external translation services. XLIFF provides a standardized way to send and receive translations for Drupal sites.
  • Enterprise CMS (Adobe Experience Manager, Sitecore, Contentful): Enterprise content management systems use XLIFF to export content for translation and import translated content back. XLIFF ensures consistent handling of rich text, metadata, and structured content.
  • Translation Management Systems (Smartling, Transifex, Crowdin, Lokalise): Cloud-based TMS platforms use XLIFF as a standard import/export format, enabling seamless integration between development pipelines and translation workflows.

XLIFF Translation vs. Other Localization Formats

XLIFF is the only localization format specifically designed as an interchange standard for translation tools. While JSON and YAML are popular in web development, and PO/Gettext dominates the open-source world, XLIFF is the format of choice for professional translation workflows that involve multiple tools, agencies, and translation management systems.

Compared to simpler formats like JSON or Properties files, XLIFF provides rich metadata support including translator notes, context information, state tracking (new, translated, reviewed, final), and inline element handling. This makes XLIFF ideal for projects that require professional translation quality and audit trails.

Our AI translation preserves the complete XLIFF structure, including all XML attributes, namespaces, inline elements, notes, and metadata, ensuring your translated XLIFF files are fully compatible with any localization tool or workflow that supports the XLIFF standard.

Frequently Asked Questions about XLIFF

What is an XLIFF file?

An XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format) file is an XML-based standard format created by OASIS for exchanging translation data between localization tools and systems. XLIFF files contain translatable text segments with source and target elements, along with metadata like notes, context, and state information. The format is widely used by Angular, professional CAT tools, iOS/Xcode, and enterprise localization platforms.

What is the difference between XLIFF 1.2 and XLIFF 2.0?

XLIFF 1.2 uses <trans-unit> elements inside a <body> element and is the most widely supported version. XLIFF 2.0 introduced a modernized structure with <unit> and <segment> elements, better inline element support, and modular extensions for glossaries, metadata, and translation candidates. Our service supports both versions and preserves the version-specific structure during translation.

Which tools and frameworks use XLIFF?

XLIFF is used by Angular (built-in i18n), iOS/Xcode (app localization), SDL Trados, memoQ, Memsource, Wordfast (professional CAT tools), Drupal (TMGMT module), Adobe Experience Manager, Sitecore, and cloud platforms like Smartling, Transifex, Crowdin, and Lokalise.

How do I translate an XLIFF file?

Paste your XLIFF content into the editor above, set your target language code, and click Translate. Our AI will fill in the <target> elements while preserving the complete XML structure, inline tags, notes, and metadata. You can then copy the result or save it as a .xliff file.

Navigation

Legal

Resources

Languages

© 2025-2026 L10n. All rights reserved.