Convert Spaces to Tabs
Turn groups of spaces into tab characters. Runs entirely in your browser, so your data never leaves your device.
0 chars · 0 lines
Output
The result appears here as you type.
How to use Convert Spaces to Tabs
- 1. Paste your text. Enter code or aligned text that currently uses spaces for indentation or column spacing into the input pane.
- 2. Set Spaces per tab. Choose how many consecutive spaces should be treated as one tab character, matching the indentation width your editor or style guide expects.
- 3. Choose whether to convert only leading indentation. Turn on Only convert leading indentation to leave spaces inside lines untouched and only replace the indentation at the start of each line, useful for code where mid-line spaces matter.
- 4. Copy the tab-indented text. Copy the converted result from the output pane, where qualifying space runs have been replaced with tab characters.
When to use Convert Spaces to Tabs
Convert Spaces to Tabs turns groups of spaces into tab characters, with a setting for how many spaces count as one tab and an option to only touch leading indentation. Reach for it whenever a codebase or style guide requires tab-based indentation.
- Matching a project's tab-indentation style. A team's style guide requires tabs for indentation, but you wrote or pasted code using spaces. Set the spaces-per-tab to match the guide and convert leading indentation only.
- Reducing file size in a large text export. A generated file uses long runs of spaces for alignment and converting them to tabs would shrink the file. Convert space runs throughout, not just leading indentation, if alignment allows it.
- Satisfying a linter's indentation rule. A linter flags space-based indentation in files that should use tabs. Convert the leading spaces to tabs here before committing the fix.
Examples
Indent with tabs
Input
indented
Output
indented
About the Convert Spaces to Tabs tool
Convert Spaces to Tabs does its work locally, right in the browser. Turn groups of spaces into tab characters. There is no upload step, no queue and no account, and your data never travels over the network.
It belongs to the Text Tools collection on EditSafely, a set of 211 small, focused Text utilities that share the same instant, private workspace.
You can shape the output with 2 settings, including Spaces per tab and Only convert leading indentation, and the result refreshes the moment you change one. A worked example further down the page shows exactly what the tool produces for a real input.
Running locally also makes the tool fast and dependable: results appear as you type or drop a file, there is no server outage that can take it down mid-task, and confidential data can be processed without a second thought.
Frequently asked questions
Is Convert Spaces to Tabs free to use?
Yes, it is completely free. All 2,658 tools on EditSafely work without an account, a subscription or usage limits.
Is it safe to paste sensitive or confidential data?
Everything happens locally. Your browser downloads the tool's code once, then does all the processing itself; nothing you enter is transmitted, stored or logged. You can even go offline after the page loads and it will still work.
How much text can I process at once?
There is no fixed limit. Because the work happens on your own device rather than on a shared server, the practical ceiling is your machine's memory, which comfortably handles inputs far larger than typical online tools allow.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
No. The tool works in any modern browser on desktop, tablet or phone. There is no account to create, no extension to add and no software to install.
How do I use the result?
The output panel has a one-click copy button, and you can keep refining the input while you work; the result updates in place as you type.