Convert Tabs to Spaces
Quick Tips
- • This tool runs entirely in your browser - your data stays private.
- • Press Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on Mac) to quickly paste text.
- • Use the Copy button to save your result to clipboard.
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Convert tab characters to spaces with configurable width.
Examples
a b c
a b c (4-space tabs)
indented
indented (4+4 spaces)
col1 col2 col3
col1 col2 col3
Frequently Asked Questions
2 spaces and 4 spaces are most common in programming. Check your project's style guide. Python (PEP 8) recommends 4 spaces. Many JavaScript style guides use 2 spaces. Legacy systems often use 8 spaces.
Simple conversion replaces each tab with a fixed number of spaces. Smart conversion calculates spaces to reach the next tab stop position, preserving column alignment. Smart mode is better for tabular data; simple mode works for basic indentation.
Tabs allow individual preference for indent width (good for accessibility), while spaces ensure identical appearance everywhere. Many style guides standardize on spaces to eliminate display differences across tools and developers.
Generally no—spaces and tabs are interchangeable for most language whitespace. However, languages like Makefiles require tabs for specific purposes. Also ensure you don't mix tabs and spaces within the same codebase inconsistently.
Yes, but it requires knowing which space sequences should become tabs. Converting 4 leading spaces to a tab is straightforward, but arbitrary space sequences in text are ambiguous. Use our Spaces to Tabs tool for reverse conversion.
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