How to Format a SQL Query
Paste your SQL into the input box
Drop a single statement or a batch of statements into the SQL Input field. The formatter runs entirely in your browser, so the query you paste stays on your device and is never sent to a server.
Set the indent size and keyword case
Pick a 2-space or 4-space indent for continuation lines, and toggle Uppercase Keywords on to render words like SELECT and JOIN in capitals or off to lower-case them. Choose a dialect label to match the query you are working with.
Click Format SQL and copy the result
Press Format SQL to put each clause on its own line with consistent indentation. Use Copy Result to send the output to your clipboard, or Clear to empty both boxes and start again.
What the Formatter Changes and What It Leaves Alone
This is a layout and keyword-case formatter, not a parser or validator. It rewrites spacing and capitalization so a query is easier to read, but it does not change the meaning of your SQL or check whether it will run. The table below shows what each option controls.
| Behavior | What it does | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|
| Clause line breaks | Puts SELECT, FROM, WHERE, JOIN, GROUP BY, ORDER BY and similar clause starters on their own lines | Does not reorder or rewrite clauses |
| Indentation | Indents non-clause continuation lines by your chosen 2 or 4 spaces | Does not track multi-level subquery nesting depth |
| Keyword case | Capitalizes or lower-cases recognized SQL keywords based on the Uppercase toggle | Does not change table, column, or alias names |
| Whitespace | Trims input, converts tabs to spaces, and normalizes blank runs | Does not collapse a query into a single minified line |
| Dialect label | Lets you tag the query as Generic, MySQL, PostgreSQL, or SQLite | Does not apply dialect-specific parsing or syntax rules |
| Validation | Reformats whatever text you provide | Does not check syntax or report SQL errors |
When This Formatter Is the Right Tool
Cleaning up pasted queries
Ideal when you copy a one-line query from a log, ticket, or chat message and want each clause broken out and indented so you can read it quickly.
Standardizing keyword case
Use it to make keywords consistently uppercase or lowercase across a query before saving it to a repository or pasting it into a code review.
Working with sensitive queries
Because formatting happens locally in your browser, this is a good fit when you prefer not to paste internal queries into a tool that uploads them. Still avoid pasting real passwords or secrets.
When you need parsing or validation instead
If you need true syntax checking, dialect-aware parsing, or deeply nested subquery alignment, run the query against your database engine or a dedicated SQL parser rather than this layout formatter.
Common Problems and Fixes
Nothing happens when I click Format
The output stays empty if the input is blank or only whitespace. Paste an actual query into the SQL Input box, then click Format SQL again.
Subqueries are not indented level by level
The formatter applies a single indent step to continuation lines rather than tracking nesting depth, so deeply nested subqueries land at the same indent. For complex nesting, adjust the inner lines by hand after formatting.
A word I expected was not capitalized
Only recognized SQL keywords are re-cased. Function names, data types, table names, and column names are left untouched on purpose, so they keep whatever case you typed.
Switching dialects changes nothing
The dialect selector labels your query but does not alter the formatting logic, which is shared across all dialects. The layout and keyword casing you see will be the same whichever dialect you pick.