---
title: XLIFF Translation Tool - AI to Edit and Localize Fast
description: Edit and translate XLIFF files with inline tags protected and locked segments respected. Imports 1.2 and 2.0, exports 1.2. Free 15-day trial, no card.
canonical: https://www.smartcat.com/xliff-translation-editor/
language: en
updated: 2026-08-21
---

# XLIFF Translation Tool - AI to Edit and Localize Fast

## XLIFF Editor: Translate, Review and Round-Trip XLIFF Files

An XLIFF editor lets you translate and review the bilingual segments inside an XLIFF file without touching its structure. Smartcat's [Software Localization Agent](https://www.smartcat.com/ai-agents/software-agent/) imports XLIFF 1.2 and 2.0, shows source and target side by side with inline codes protected, leaves **translate="no"** units locked, and exports XLIFF 1.2 — the flavor most tools import cleanly.

- [Book a demo](https://www.smartcat.com/book-a-demo/?n-upl)

- [Sign up free](https://smartcat.com/sign-up?n-upl)

## Why Is XLIFF Painful to Translate Anywhere Else?

XLIFF exists to carry translations *between systems*, which is exactly why editing it casually goes wrong. Three things fail:

- **Inline codes get mangled** — formatting and placeholders live inside segments as tags, and a generic editor or a raw machine-translation pass moves, drops or translates them. The re-import fails, or the bold lands on the wrong word in every slide.

- **Segment states vanish** — the file tracks what is translated, reviewed and approved, and losing those states means a reviewer re-reads **4,000 segments** to find the **200** that changed.

- **The round trip breaks silently** — the file opens fine, translates fine, and then the receiving tool rejects it, or imports it with codes misplaced.

Anyone who has exported a Storyline course to XLIFF and gotten a broken file back knows this failure by heart.

left

Smartcat parses an XLIFF file into its translation units and presents each segment's source and target side by side.

- **Inline elements** — the tags carrying formatting and placeholders inside a segment — are protected, and the **Tag Aligner** reinserts them automatically, placing hidden tags in the correct positions in the translated text.
- **Locked units** — units marked **translate="no"** stay locked in the editor regardless of the import options you choose.
- **Targets that arrive filled in** — the import option "Lock segments for imported translations and confirm them to the last stage" locks and confirms them.
- **Translation memory and glossaries** — translation memory pre-fills segments the account has seen before, and glossaries enforce terminology across the file. This is [XLIFF localization](https://www.smartcat.com/blog/should-you-use-xliff-for-software-localization/) handled by the [Software Localization Agent](https://www.smartcat.com/ai-agents/software-agent/) at parse level: Smartcat is **fully compliant with the XLIFF 1.2 specification** and adds only a few Smartcat-specific tag attributes to imported files.

- [Translate an XLIFF file free](https://smartcat.com/sign-up/?from_xliff_translation_editor)

## How to Translate XLIFF Files

### Upload the XLIFF

Exported from your TMS, CMS or authoring tool, straight into the [Software Localization Agent](https://www.smartcat.com/ai-agents/software-agent/). **No file conversion needed.**

Smartcat accepts **XLIFF 1.2 and 2.0** plus vendor flavors — SDLXLIFF, MQXLIFF, and XLIFF from Articulate Rise 360, Articulate Storyline and Easygenerator.

### Choose how existing translations are handled

Lock imported translations and confirm them to the last stage, or leave them open for editing. Units marked **translate="no"** stay locked either way.

### Translate and review

AI drafts unreviewed segments, **translation memory** fills what has been translated before, and the **Tag Aligner** places inline tags for you.

Source and target sit side by side for review, with your glossary applied.

### Export and re-import

**XLIFF 1.2**, with the same unit IDs and structure, back into the system it came from.

Re-importing a file someone edited outside Smartcat? You choose "Update all segments" or "Skip segments changed in Smartcat".

Translate an XLIFF File Free for 15 Days

Free for **15 days** with 15,000 Smartwords and full access to translation capabilities, no credit card.

Upload **one file from your own pipeline** and run the loop end to end before you commit production work to it.

- [Translate an XLIFF file free](https://smartcat.com/sign-up/?from_xliff_translation_editor)

## XLIFF 1.2 vs 2.0 — Does the Difference Matter to You?

### 1.2 + 2.0

### Imported

Import accepts **both versions**, plus vendor flavors: SDLXLIFF, MQXLIFF and XLIFF exports from Articulate Rise 360, Articulate Storyline and Easygenerator — which covers the classic [L&D](https://www.smartcat.com/learning-and-development/) case of an authoring-tool course export.

Format support means your file will **parse**; it is not a guarantee about your whole pipeline.

### 1.2

### Exported

Export is **XLIFF 1.2 only**, and deliberately so — 1.2 is the most stable flavor and the one most tools import without argument.

But the round trip is **not symmetric**: hand Smartcat a 2.0 file and you get 1.2 back. If your receiving system only ingests 2.0, this loop will not close — test one small file first.

### 280+

### Languages

Translate XLIFF units into any supported pair, [worldwide](https://smartcat.com/Home/Languages), with one translation memory and glossary across the project.

## Stanley Black & Decker: L&D Localization at Enterprise Scale

## From $200–$300 to $1.20 per 1,000 Words

[Stanley Black & Decker](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/stanley-black-and-decker/) moved L&D content localization to Smartcat.

- Unit cost of L&D translation cut from **$200–$300 per 1,000 words to $1.20 per 1,000 words**.
- Total translation spend down by **up to 70%**.
- Localized training content delivered worldwide on **one platform**.

Smartcat’s AI translation is a fantastic tool. Our ability to source content from a central repository and benefit from adaptive algorithms which incorporate translation memories and glossaries across all project teams mean the business as a whole gains from each team’s translations.

Stanley Black & Decker

- [Explore Case Study →](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/stanley-black-and-decker/)

Valid XLIFF 1.2 Out, Unit IDs Intact

The export carries the **same unit IDs and structure** the file came in with — ID matching is what your re-import depends on.

Locked units stay locked, inline codes come back where they belong, and the file is **spec-compliant XLIFF 1.2**.

- [Translate an XLIFF file free](https://smartcat.com/sign-up/?from_xliff_translation_editor)

## Translate More Than XLIFF — 80+ File Types Supported

Smartcat's AI agents support over 80 file types, including [Microsoft Office](https://www.smartcat.com/extend-microsoft-word-enterprise-software-capabilities-with-smartcat/) (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx), [Adobe InDesign](https://www.smartcat.com/adobe-indesign/) (.indd), [PDFs](https://www.smartcat.com/pdf-translator/), [HTML](https://www.smartcat.com/html-translator/), [XML](https://www.smartcat.com/xml-translator/) files, [JSON](https://www.smartcat.com/json-translator/), and [subtitle files](https://www.smartcat.com/subtitle-translator/) (.srt, .vtt).
This flexibility enables localization of [business documents](https://www.smartcat.com/ai-agents/document-agent/), [multimedia assets](https://www.smartcat.com/ai-agents/media-agent/), and [eLearning content](https://www.smartcat.com/ai-agents/learning-content-agent/) in one platform.

Translating other developer formats in the same project? [JSON](https://www.smartcat.com/json-translator/), [XML and strings.xml](https://www.smartcat.com/xml-translator/), and YAML share the same translation memory and glossary.

## What's Preserved in the Round-Trip?

### Unit IDs and source text

Translation-unit IDs are untouched, so re-import matches by ID, and the source text is never modified.

### Inline tags, placed for you

Inline codes are protected, and the Tag Aligner reinserts them in the translated text automatically rather than leaving tag surgery to whoever is translating.

### Locked units stay locked

Units marked **translate="no"** are locked in the editor regardless of the import options you choose, so approved content cannot be overwritten.

### Pre-translated targets

Targets that arrive already filled in are kept, and can optionally be locked *and* confirmed to the last stage with the "Lock segments for imported translations" import option.

### Re-import after outside edits

You choose "Update all segments" or "Skip segments changed in Smartcat". Pick deliberately: "Update all" overwrites edits made in Smartcat.

### Where the Tag Aligner stops

- **Top 10 languages** — automatic tag placement is of proven quality for the **top 10 most translated languages**; outside that set it may misplace tags.
- **Chinese, Japanese and Korean** — tagless editing is not available on these pairs, so you work with tags visible.
- **Flagged segments** — when quality checks detect a tag-alignment problem, tags are shown for that segment and cannot be hidden until it is resolved. Tag position is still a translation decision when word order inverts, so budget a review pass for it on high-visibility content.

### Data security

Smartcat is **SOC 2 Type II compliant**. Files are encrypted in transit and at rest, workspaces are isolated and access is role-based — details on the [security page](https://www.smartcat.com/security/).

### Accepted XLIFF flavors

Plain **1.2 and 2.0**, SDLXLIFF, MQXLIFF, and course exports from Articulate Rise 360, Articulate Storyline and Easygenerator — alongside 80+ other file types in the same project.

### QA the export before re-import

To check the exported file outside Smartcat, our documentation recommends **Verifika, Xbench, lexiQA or QA Distiller** before you re-import.

[Integrations](https://www.smartcat.com/integrations/) and the CI/CD CLI keep recurring exports moving without manual hand-offs.

From Export to Re-Import Without a Broken Tag

Upload the XLIFF, translate and review with locked units respected and inline codes protected, export valid XLIFF 1.2. Free for 15 days with 15,000 Smartwords, no credit card.

- [Translate an XLIFF file free](https://smartcat.com/sign-up/?from_xliff_translation_editor)

“The translation memory and AI suggestions help me work faster. They usually preserve the document's formatting, which saves me time.”

Hika T., Freelance Translator

Jun 29, 2026

“When the reviewer changes specific content the system remembers, so it translates technical terms consistently… it places the translation back into the document keeping the look and feel of e.g. a PowerPoint.”

Verified User in Mechanical/Industrial Engineering, Enterprise

Jun 17, 2026

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is XLIFF localization?

XLIFF is a **bilingual exchange format**: it separates the translatable text into segments and carries formatting and placeholders as inline elements, so translation happens without editing the file's structure.

XLIFF localization is the loop of **exporting** that file from the system that owns the content, **translating and reviewing** the segments, and **re-importing** the result by unit ID.

### How can learning and development teams benefit from XLIFF localization?

L&D teams get XLIFF out of their authoring tool — **Rise 360, Storyline, Easygenerator** — and that is exactly what this workflow takes.

- The course exports as XLIFF.
- Segments translate with your **glossary and translation memory** applied.
- Locked units stay locked.
- The **XLIFF 1.2 export** goes back into the authoring tool **by unit ID**. The alternative is retyping course text into a translator and rebuilding the course by hand. Smartcat's [Learning Content Agent](https://www.smartcat.com/ai-agents/learning-content-agent/) and [Software Localization Agent](https://www.smartcat.com/ai-agents/software-agent/) handle the same content inside one project.

### How does Smartcat handle the localization of XLIFF files?

The file is parsed into its translation units and shown source-beside-target.

- Inline codes are protected and reinserted by the **Tag Aligner**.
- **translate="no"** units are locked.
- **Translation memory** pre-fills segments the account has seen before, and glossaries enforce terminology. Export is **XLIFF 1.2** with the same unit IDs and structure, ready for re-import into the originating system.

### Can Smartcat convert between XLIFF 1.2 and 2.0?

**One direction only.** Import accepts 1.2 and 2.0; export produces XLIFF 1.2 — so a 2.0 file effectively comes back as 1.2, and there is **no 1.2 to 2.0 conversion**.

If your receiving system requires 2.0, convert after export with an external tool, or keep that file out of this workflow.

### What are the differences between XLIFF 1.2 and XLIFF 2.0?

XLIFF 2.0 introduces a **more modular architecture** with a streamlined core and specialized extensions for advanced functionality.

Compared with 1.2 it offers better handling of **inline elements**, richer **metadata** support, and stronger **validation**.

### I just need to open and fix one XLIFF file — is there a simpler tool?

For one-off edits outside a translation workflow, Smartcat's own documentation recommends the desktop editors **Poedit (2.2 or later)** and **Virtaal**.

The workflow on this page — translation memory, glossary, review stages, locked-segment handling, round-trip at volume — is what teams use when XLIFF is a **recurring pipeline** rather than a single file.

### I got a partially translated XLIFF — will it re-translate the approved segments?

**No** — **translate="no"** units cannot be overwritten.

- **Targets that arrive already filled in** — choose the import option "Lock segments for imported translations and confirm them to the last stage". Those segments are then locked on import and confirmed to the final workflow stage.
- **Files edited outside Smartcat** — on re-import you decide explicitly whether to update all segments or skip segments changed in Smartcat. Vendor-supplied partial files are the case this is built for.

### Is my XLIFF content secure during translation?

Smartcat is [SOC 2 Type II compliant](https://www.smartcat.com/security/). Your XLIFF files are **encrypted in transit and at rest**, workspaces are isolated, and access is role-based.

### How do I get the translations back into my original document?

Re-import the exported XLIFF into the system that generated it — the round trip is **ID-matched**.

If you need the final document itself, such as a DOCX or a course package, that merge happens in the **originating tool** rather than in the editor.

### Is there a file-size limit — and a limit on how many files I can send?

Smartcat's general ceiling for project files is **6 GB**, and the docs advise **splitting anything over 1 GB** for speed; no XLIFF-specific segment-count limit is documented.

On file count there is **no cap** — batch uploads of hundreds of files into one project are supported, so a full course export goes in as one job.

Neither limit varies by plan: tiers differ on integrations and Marketplace billing, not on uploads. The constraint is **per-file size**, not file count.

### How do you handle inline elements in XLIFF?

Inline elements represent formatting, placeholders and other non-translatable content inside a segment. They are protected during translation, and the **Tag Aligner** reinserts them in the target automatically.

Two limits worth knowing: **tagless editing is unavailable for Chinese, Japanese and Korean**, and tags are forced visible on any segment where a quality check flags an alignment problem.

Not covered here? [Book a demo](https://www.smartcat.com/book-a-demo/) — a 1:1 with a localization engineer, no commitment.

### Will my own TMS accept the re-imported file?

Usually — and there are **two things worth checking** before production work depends on it.

- **The version** — export is **XLIFF 1.2**, the flavor most tools ingest without complaint, so a system that emitted **2.0** may only want 2.0 back.
- **Tolerance for extras** — the exported file is spec-compliant with a few Smartcat-specific tag attributes added, and a strict importer can object to those. **Unit IDs and structure are preserved either way**, which is what ID-matched re-import actually depends on.

For any system not on the documented list, run one small file through the full loop first — sound practice with any XLIFF tool, including ours.

## Sources

1. Paul, C., Smith, K., Taylor, B., & Underwood, G. (2025). [*The future of AI in corporate training: Opportunities and challenges*](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/389649987) [Preprint]. ResearchGate.

2. Al Naqbi, H., Bahroun, Z., & Ahmed, V. (2024). Enhancing Work Productivity through Generative Artificial Intelligence: A Comprehensive Literature Review. [*Sustainability, 16*](https://doi.org/10.3390/su16031166)(3), 1166.