Binary Plist to XML

Drop a binary property list and get readable XML back — the browser equivalent of plutil -convert xml1, without macOS.

bplist00 → XML plist
Copy or download the result
Inspect types before export
No upload, no install

Ready to open a file processed locally — nothing is uploaded

Load a binary sample or open your file, inspect the XML, then download. Export rewrites formatting and does not preserve or verify a profile signature.

How to convert

Drop your binary .plist file onto the editor above.
The XML pane on the right shows the converted output immediately.
Select and copy it, or click Download XML plist.

The macOS equivalent

On macOS you would run plutil -convert xml1 file.plist. On Windows or Linux there is no built-in equivalent, which is why this page exists.

Try a real binary file

The XML and binary downloads contain the same Name, Enabled, Count, Created and Data fields. The binary version starts with bplist00. Open it above: Name should be Example, Count should be the integer 3, and Data contains the bytes for Hi.

Download XML sample Download binary sample Download JSON sample

Unreadable characters alone do not mean a file is damaged. A parse error may mean a truncated download, an unsupported format or a file that is not a plist. Renaming the extension does not convert its contents.

Convert a copy with Python

If Python is installed, its standard plistlib module reads XML and binary plists. This script writes a separate output file; change the paths to match your files.

import plistlib

with open("input.plist", "rb") as source:
    data = plistlib.load(source)
with open("output.plist", "wb") as output:
    plistlib.dump(data, output, fmt=plistlib.FMT_XML, sort_keys=False)

This example covers ordinary property lists. Binary archives containing UID values may not export as standard XML through plistlib. Neither conversion method validates app-specific settings or cryptographic signatures.

Python plistlib · Compare XML and binary

Frequently asked questions

Can I convert XML back to binary?: Yes — open any plist and choose Download → Binary plist.
Does converting lose anything?: Ordinary plist types are retained within the editor’s supported numeric range. UID values become CF$UID dictionaries in XML. Formatting and cryptographic signatures are not preserved; keep the original.