Free online PLIST to JSON converter

Source format: plist

PLIST is Apple’s property list format, used to store structured data such as dictionaries, arrays, strings, numbers, dates, and booleans. It is common in macOS, iOS, and Apple development workflows for app preferences, configuration files, bundle metadata, and system settings. PLIST files may be stored as XML or as Apple’s compact binary format.

Target format: JSON

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight, text-based data format used widely in web development, APIs, configuration files, and data exchange. Its main advantages are human readability, broad language support, and easy integration with modern tools and programming environments. JSON is especially convenient when you need to move structured data from Apple ecosystems into web or cross-platform workflows.

How to convert plist to json

The best method depends on whether your PLIST is XML or binary, but in most cases you can convert it reliably with Python or Apple developer tools.

1. Check the PLIST type. If the file is XML, it is easier to inspect and convert directly. If it is binary, first convert it to XML or parse it with a tool that supports binary PLIST.
2. Use Python for a dependable conversion. Python’s plistlib module can read both XML and binary PLIST files and write JSON-compatible output.
3. Run a conversion script. For example, save the following as plist_to_json.py: import plistlib, json, sys with open(sys.argv[1], 'rb') as f: data = plistlib.load(f) with open(sys.argv[2], 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f: json.dump(data, f, indent=2, ensure_ascii=False)
4. Execute the script. Use python3 plist_to_json.py input.plist output.json.
5. Validate the result. Open the JSON file in a text editor or test it with your application to confirm that the structure and values were preserved correctly.

If you prefer a graphical workflow, you can also use Xcode or Property List Editor-style tools to inspect the PLIST first, then export or copy the data into JSON manually. For quick browser-based conversion, you can convert the file on 101convert.com for free, without installing any software.

Notes on quality and limitations

PLIST and JSON are not perfectly identical. PLIST supports data types that JSON does not represent directly, such as dates and binary data. During conversion, these values may be transformed into strings or another JSON-friendly representation, depending on the tool you use. Also, PLIST keys are typically strings, which maps well to JSON objects, but some PLIST structures may need adjustment if they contain Apple-specific types.

If the source file is a binary PLIST, make sure your converter supports it; otherwise the conversion may fail or produce incomplete output. Finally, formatting differences are normal: JSON may be pretty-printed with indentation, while PLIST may preserve Apple-specific metadata that is lost in the conversion.