Taia translates XLIFF files directly, with no conversion step, because XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format, most commonly XLIFF 1.2) is already a standardized, native XML format built specifically to exchange translatable content between CAT tools and translation management systems. AI or a professional linguist translates the source segment inside each <trans-unit> using your translation memory, glossary, and style guide, and the file comes back as XLIFF, with its segment structure and metadata intact.
How Does XLIFF Translation Work?
Translating an XLIFF file takes three steps, and like Word or Excel, none of them involve a format conversion — XLIFF is already structured for exactly this kind of exchange.
- Upload the .xliff file at translate.taia.io. Because XLIFF is a native XML format, the file is read directly, segment by segment, with no intermediate conversion step.
- AI or a professional linguist translates the source text inside each
<trans-unit>, using your translation memory, glossary, and style guide as reference, so terminology and tone match previous localization work in the same project. - Download the translated XLIFF file, with the trans-unit structure, segment IDs, and file metadata carried over unchanged — ready to import back into the CAT tool or TMS it came from.
Because XLIFF exists specifically to move content between localization tools without losing structure, this is a direct, native translation, not a reconstruction — the same trans-unit-preserving approach used for other native XML and editable formats like DOCX and XLSX.
What Gets Preserved When You Translate an XLIFF File?
XLIFF translation preserves the file’s trans-unit structure, segment IDs, and any notes or context metadata attached to each segment — only the source-language text is replaced with its translation. XLIFF is a container format built around source/target segment pairs, so preservation here means the container stays intact while the content inside it changes.
- Trans-unit structure: each
<trans-unit>element — its ID, its<source>/<target>pairing, and its position in the file — stays exactly where it was. Translation replaces the text inside<target>; it doesn’t restructure the file around it. - Notes and context metadata:
<note>elements and other context metadata that translators or developers attach to a segment (screenshot references, character limits, usage instructions) pass through untouched, since translation only acts on the source/target text. - File-level metadata: the
<file>header’s source-language and target-language declarations, plus any tool or project metadata in the file, are preserved. - Segment status (
stateattribute): XLIFF’sstateattribute tracks a segment’s translation status (values likenew,translated, orfinalare common in the spec). [NEEDS DATA: confirm exactly which state values are set or preserved when writing back a translated XLIFF file] — until confirmed, review segment status in your CAT tool after import rather than assuming a specific state was set.
Because there’s no conversion step, an XLIFF file uploaded to Taia comes back as the same file, structurally, with the translatable text swapped for its translation — the same round-trip fidelity that makes XLIFF useful as an interchange format in the first place.
AI vs. Professional Translation for XLIFF Files
Use AI translation for high-volume XLIFF exports from a CAT tool or TMS where a linguist will review the content downstream anyway; use professional translation when the XLIFF content needs a certified linguist’s pass before it goes back into your localization pipeline. Both options translate the same uploaded file, so switching between them doesn’t require re-exporting anything from your source system.
Instant AI translation is subscription-based. Every plan shares the same translation memory, glossary, and style guide:
- Free — 5,000 words/month
- Basic — €9/month, 20,000 words/month
- Pro — €39/month, 100,000 words/month
- Enterprise — custom pricing
XLIFF translation requires the Pro plan or higher — it is not included in Free or Basic. XLIFF is a specialized localization format, grouped with formats like InDesign IDML and FrameMaker that are only available once you’re on Taia’s top AI subscription tier.
Professional translation is always pay-per-word, never a subscription. Three tiers are available, all combining machine translation with human post-editing:
- Essential — one linguist reviews and edits the machine translation, from €0.06/word
- Enhanced — a translator plus a revisor, ISO 17100-certified process, from €0.09/word
- Ultimate — full TEP (translation, editing, and proofreading by three separate linguists), from €0.12/word
Because XLIFF is explicitly a developer and localization-pipeline format — used to move content between tools, not typically opened by end users — it’s often exchanged programmatically rather than uploaded one file at a time. Taia’s API applies the same trans-unit-preserving translation to XLIFF files moved automatically between systems, which fits naturally alongside a CAT tool or TMS integration.
How Much Does It Cost to Translate an XLIFF File?
AI translation of an XLIFF file requires the Pro plan (€39/month for 100,000 words) or custom Enterprise pricing, since XLIFF sits outside the formats available on Free or Basic; professional translation is billed per word on top of any plan, the same as any other format. For professional translation, that means from €0.06/word (Essential), from €0.09/word (Enhanced), or from €0.12/word (Ultimate), scaled to the word count of the translatable text inside the file’s trans-units.
Taia is an AI-first localization platform that combines instant AI translation in 204 languages and 65+ file formats, a built-in CAT editor and translation management system (TMS), and ISO 17100-certified professional linguists — with translation memory, glossary, and style guide shared across all three. XLIFF translation runs on the same platform, so a translated XLIFF file has access to every one of those resources, including the translation memory that keeps terminology consistent across every localization project you run through it.
DeepL and Google Translate don’t support XLIFF at all — neither tool lists it among its supported formats, which rules both out for any team exchanging content with a CAT tool or TMS. Taia supports XLIFF natively on the Pro plan, with the same trans-unit structure preserved whether the file is uploaded by hand or moved through the API.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an XLIFF file, and who uses it?
XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format) is a standardized XML format designed to exchange translatable content between CAT tools and translation management systems. It’s used by localization teams, translation agencies, and software developers to move source and target text — plus segment status and context notes — between different systems without losing structure.
Can XLIFF files be translated automatically?
Yes. Upload an .xliff file at translate.taia.io and the source text inside each trans-unit is translated directly with AI — no conversion step is needed, since XLIFF is already a native XML format.
Does the trans-unit structure stay intact after translation?
Yes. Each <trans-unit> element, its segment ID, and its position in the file are preserved. Translation replaces the text inside the <target> element; it doesn’t restructure the file or renumber segments.
What happens to the state attribute when I translate an XLIFF file?
XLIFF’s state attribute is meant to track a segment’s translation status. [NEEDS DATA: confirm exactly which state values are set or preserved on export] — until confirmed, check segment status in your CAT tool after importing the translated file rather than assuming a specific value.
Is XLIFF translation included in the free plan?
No. XLIFF requires the Pro plan (€39/month for 100,000 words) or Enterprise. It’s grouped with other specialized localization and desktop-publishing formats that aren’t part of Free or Basic.
How much does it cost to translate an XLIFF file?
AI translation of an XLIFF file requires the Pro plan or Enterprise pricing, since it’s not included in Free or Basic. Professional translation is billed per word regardless of plan: from €0.06/word for Essential, from €0.09/word for Enhanced, or from €0.12/word for Ultimate.
Can I get an XLIFF file professionally translated by a human linguist?
Yes. Three professional tiers are available, all pay-per-word: Essential (one linguist, from €0.06/word), Enhanced (translator plus revisor, ISO 17100-certified, from €0.09/word), and Ultimate (full TEP — translation, editing, and proofreading — from €0.12/word).
What’s the difference between XLIFF 1.2 and XLIFF 2.0?
XLIFF 1.2 is the older and still more widely adopted version across CAT tools and translation management systems; XLIFF 2.0 restructured the core schema to be leaner and more modular. [NEEDS DATA: confirm which XLIFF version(s) the import/export pipeline supports] — if your pipeline requires a specific version, verify compatibility before uploading a large batch.