Convert Spaces to Tabs
Turn groups of spaces in a string 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 the space-indented text. Enter the code or text indented with spaces into the input pane, keeping the original indentation exactly as it appears.
- 2. Set spaces per tab and scope. Choose how many spaces equal one tab, and turn on Only convert leading indentation to leave spaces inside the line untouched and tabify only the indent.
- 3. Copy the tabified result. Copy the converted text and paste it into your codebase or editor, matching a style guide that expects tab-based indentation instead of spaces.
When to use Convert Spaces to Tabs
Convert Spaces to Tabs turns groups of spaces in a string into tab characters, either throughout the text or only in the leading indentation. It handles the mechanical part of switching a file's indentation convention.
- Matching a team's tab-based style guide. Your editor is configured for spaces but the team's style guide requires tabs for indentation; converting a pasted snippet before committing keeps it consistent with the rest of the codebase.
- Fixing a file after a bad paste. Code pasted from a web page or chat app came in with spaces instead of the tabs your project uses, and this restores the correct indentation in one pass.
- Preparing a Makefile that requires tabs. Makefiles famously require literal tab characters for recipe lines, and converting space-indented rules back to tabs avoids the cryptic 'missing separator' error make produces.
- Reducing file size in a large generated file. A large generated text file uses four-space indentation throughout, and converting runs of spaces to tabs shrinks the file slightly for storage or transfer.
Examples
Indent with tabs
Input
indented
Output
indented
About the Convert Spaces to Tabs tool
Convert Spaces to Tabs runs as plain JavaScript in your browser tab, with no server behind it. Turn groups of spaces in a string into tab characters. Whatever you put in stays on your device from start to finish.
The tool is part of EditSafely's String Tools section, 159 single-purpose utilities built around the same idea: open the page, get the result, keep your data to yourself.
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.
That local-first design has practical benefits beyond privacy. The tool keeps working on a flaky connection once the page has loaded, results are instant because nothing round-trips to a server, and it is safe to use with confidential material.
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.