Free HTML Editor and CSS / HTML Checker for Windows

CSE HTML Validator Lite is a free HTML editor and basic HTML (including HTML5), XHTML, and CSS (including CSS3) validator and syntax checker for Microsoft Windows and Linux (using Wine on Linux) . Note that the Lite edition has been discontinued but is still available for download and use (while supplies last).

Screenshot of CSE HTML Validator Lite v16.0 — **Lite Edition** screen shot showing the validation results at the bottom.

"I have used CSE HTML Validator Lite for years now, I love it. I've recommended it to several people. Thanks for a great product!"
- Christine

"I was used to a free online tool, which is nowhere near as simple to use as CSE HTML Validator Lite. It suits all my needs as a web developer and I have recommended it to many colleagues already!"
- T. Kramer

"CSE HTML Validator Lite is a superb application -- does everything I hoped and much more."
- Charles Toth, CSE HTML Validator User in Keyser, WV

Want More?

Check HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, links, SEO, accessibility, and more with CSS HTML Validator Home, Pro, or Enterprise.

Download Pro 2023 Trial

CSE HTML Validator Lite is a reduced functionality older version of CSS HTML Validator Home, but it's free (even for commercial use) and is still useful. If you want to use the Lite edition for personal, non-commercial use then we recommend the more recent free version of CSS HTML Validator Standard for personal, non-commercial use.

Important: CSE HTML Validator Lite has been discontinued (no more updates are planned) but the last release is still available (for now). An upgrade to the Home or Pro edition, which still gets frequent updates, is highly recommended. You may also want to use EmEditor, a powerful Windows text editor that now comes with a more recent version of CSS HTML Validator Lite.

Use the below Download Now button to download the latest version of CSE HTML Validator Lite (which is v16.05). The download will work for a new install or for an upgrade from a previous version.

CSE HTML Validator Lite for Windows can:

Find bad or misspelled tags and attributes
Find missing end tags
Find other HTML & XHTML syntax problems
Find bad CSS properties and values
Check spelling with the built-in the editor
Quickly change all tags and attributes to lowercase
Automatically place quotation marks around all attribute values
Remove (strip) HTML tags from HTML documents, leaving only the text
Protect your privacy (because it doesn't transmit your documents over the Internet)

"There aren't many freeware programs out there these days that are this well done and useful."
- Tim Matheson, CSE HTML Validator User

"I downloaded CSE HTML Validator Lite about two months ago and have used it ever since. It's absolutely delightful to use - and has options for everything you can think of (and a lot that you can't!). But in spite of the options, it can be used by amateurs like myself with the default values only. I have tried several other validators before and none comes near it for ease of use, flexibility, and thorough reliability. When I develop to the stage of needing the even more powerful edition, I won't bother to look elsewhere, as I'm confident this product will be of the highest standard also. Well done, and thanks."
- Phil Taylor, CSE HTML Validator User

CSE HTML Validator Lite v16.05 includes HTML5 support (although not up-to-date), CSS checking, and a built-in HTML/XHTML/text editor with dynamic help, syntax highlighting, split view, and spell checking.

Other editions are also available. These editions (Home, Pro, and Enterprise) are recommended for business and government use as well as for serious, professional, or student web developers. These editions include:

Significantly improved and updated HTML and CSS syntax checking
The Batch Wizard (which can crawl and check entire websites or parts of them) (Pro and Enterprise editions)
Link checking
A more powerful HTML/XHTML/text editor
HTTPS support (not in the Lite edition)
... and much more

Compare editions

Download CSE HTML Validator Lite

Download CSE HTML Validator Lite v16.05 for Windows (about 9.0 MB):

Link	Protocol	Location
cselite.exe	HTTP	CNET Download.com

Report Download Problems

After downloading, simply run the downloaded file to install CSE HTML Validator Lite.