diff --git a/ete4/smartview/explorer.py b/ete4/smartview/explorer.py
index ffe57b6e..06beb4f3 100755
--- a/ete4/smartview/explorer.py
+++ b/ete4/smartview/explorer.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 DIR_BIN = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
 sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(DIR_BIN))  # so we can import ete w/o install
 
-from ete4 import newick, nexus, operations as ops, treematcher as tm
+from ete4 import newick, nexus, indent, operations as ops, treematcher as tm
 from . import draw
 from .layout import Layout, BASIC_LAYOUT, update_style
 
@@ -568,16 +568,16 @@ def get_topological_search(pattern):
 def add_trees_from_request():
     """Add trees to the global var g_trees and return a dict of {name: id}."""
     try:
-        if request.content_type.startswith('application/json'):
+        if request.content_type.startswith('application/json'):  # a POST
             trees = [req_json()]  # we have only one tree
-            parser = newick.PARSER_DEFAULT
-        else:
+            parser = 'name'
+        else:  # the request comes from a form (e.g., from upload.html)
             trees = get_trees_from_form()
-            parser = get_parser(request.forms['internal'])
+            parser = request.forms['parser']
 
         names = {}
         for tree in trees:
-            t = newick.loads(tree['newick'], parser)
+            t = loads(tree['newick'], parser)
             ops.update_sizes_all(t)
             name = tree['name'].replace(',', '_')  # "," is used for subtrees
             names[name] = name  # tree ids are already equal to their names...
@@ -591,10 +591,14 @@ def add_trees_from_request():
         abort(400, f'malformed tree - {e}')
 
 
-def get_parser(internal):
-    """Return parser given the internal nodes main property interpretation."""
-    p = {'name': newick.NAME, 'support': newick.SUPPORT}[internal]  # (()p:d);
-    return dict(newick.PARSER_DEFAULT, internal=[p, newick.DIST])
+def loads(tree_text, parser):
+    """Return tree loaded from the text using the given parser."""
+    if parser in ['name', 'support']:
+        return newick.loads(tree_text, parser)
+    elif parser == 'nexus':
+        return nexus.loads(tree_text)
+    elif parser == 'indent':
+        return indent.loads(tree_text)
 
 
 def get_trees_from_form():
@@ -773,18 +777,18 @@ def stop_server():
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     parser = ArgumentParser(description=__doc__, formatter_class=fmt)
     add = parser.add_argument  # shortcut
-    add('FILE', help='file with the newick tree representation')
-    add('-i', '--internal', choices=['name', 'support'], default='support',
-        help='how to interpret the content of internal nodes')
-    add('-c', '--compress', action='store_true', help='send compressed data')
-    add('-p', '--port', type=int, help='server port number')
+    add('FILE', help='file with the tree representation')
+    add('--parser', choices=['name', 'support', 'indent'], default='support',
+        help='tree is newick with name/support in internal nodes, or indented')
+    add('--compress', action='store_true', help='send compressed data')
+    add('--port', type=int, help='server port number')
     add('-v', '--verbose', action='store_true', help='be verbose')
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     try:
         # Read tree(s) and add them to g_trees.
         for tree in get_trees_from_file(args.FILE):
-            t = newick.loads(tree['newick'], get_parser(args.internal))
+            t = loads(tree['newick'], args.parser)
             ops.update_sizes_all(t)
             name = tree['name'].replace(',', '_')  # "," is used for subtrees
             g_trees[name] = t
diff --git a/ete4/smartview/static/js/upload.js b/ete4/smartview/static/js/upload.js
index d8f26bf3..225e349e 100644
--- a/ete4/smartview/static/js/upload.js
+++ b/ete4/smartview/static/js/upload.js
@@ -10,17 +10,20 @@ button_upload.addEventListener("click", async () => {
     try {
         assert(input_name.value || !check_metadata.checked, "Missing name");
 
-        const name = check_metadata.checked ?
-              input_name.value : hash(Date.now().toString());
+        const name = check_metadata.checked ? input_name.value :
+                                              hash(Date.now().toString());
+        const parser = radio_name.checked    ? "name" :
+                       radio_support.checked ? "support" :
+                       radio_indent.checked  ? "indent" : "undefined";
 
-        assert(!input_trees_file.disabled || !input_newick_string.disabled,
-            "You need to supply a newick string or select a file");
+        assert(!input_trees_file.disabled || !input_string.disabled,
+            "You need to supply a string or select a file");
 
         const data = new FormData();
         data.append("name", name);
-        data.append("internal", radio_name.checked ? "name" : "support");
-        if (!input_newick_string.disabled)
-            data.append("newick", input_newick_string.value.trim());
+        data.append("parser", parser);
+        if (!input_string.disabled)
+            data.append("newick", input_string.value.trim());
         else
             data.append("trees", await get_trees_file());
 
@@ -75,7 +78,7 @@ function show_uploaded_trees(resp) {
 function load_example() {
     radio_string.click();
 
-    input_newick_string.value = `
+    input_string.value = `
 ((((((((((('Escherichia coli_D':0.001,'Escherichia coli':0.001)Escherichia:0.001,('Escherichia dysenteriae':0.002,'Escherichia flexneri':0.001)Escherichia:0.001)Escherichia:0.001,'Escherichia fergusonii':0.005)Escherichia:0.001,'Escherichia coli_C':0.001)Escherichia:0.001,'Escherichia sp002965065':0.004)Escherichia:0.001,(((('Escherichia sp004211955':0.001,'Escherichia sp005843885':0.001)Escherichia:0.001,'Escherichia sp001660175':0.002)Escherichia:0.001,'Escherichia marmotae':0.003)Escherichia:0.001,'Escherichia sp000208585':0.003)Escherichia:0.001)Escherichia:0.001,'Escherichia albertii':0.005)Escherichia:0.016,(((('Salmonella diarizonae':0.003,'Salmonella houtenae':0.003)Salmonella:0.001,'Salmonella arizonae':0.005)Salmonella:0.001,'Salmonella enterica':0.002)Salmonella:0.003,'Salmonella bongori':0.007)Salmonella:0.009)Enterobacteriaceae:0.004,(((('Citrobacter_A amalonaticus_C':0.006,'Citrobacter_A farmeri':0.003)Citrobacter_A:0.002,'Citrobacter_A amalonaticus':0.004)Citrobacter_A:0.006,('Citrobacter_A rodentium':0.011,'Citrobacter_A sedlakii':0.006)Citrobacter_A:0.006)Citrobacter_A:0.004,'Citrobacter_C amalonaticus_A':0.017)Enterobacteriaceae:0.002)Enterobacteriaceae:0.002,'Citrobacter_B koseri':0.014)Enterobacteriaceae:0.004,((((((('Citrobacter freundii_E':0.002,'Citrobacter europaeus':0.002)Citrobacter:0.001,'Citrobacter braakii':0.003)Citrobacter:0.001,'Citrobacter freundii_A':0.003)Citrobacter:0.001,'Citrobacter freundii':0.002)Citrobacter:0.001,(('Citrobacter portucalensis_A':0.002,'Citrobacter werkmanii':0.002)Citrobacter:0.003,'Citrobacter portucalensis':0.001)Citrobacter:0.001)Citrobacter:0.002,('Citrobacter youngae':0.001,'Citrobacter sp005281345':0.003)Citrobacter:0.002)Citrobacter:0.004,(('Citrobacter gillenii':0.005,'Citrobacter sp004684345':0.004)Citrobacter:0.007,'Citrobacter murliniae':0.007)Citrobacter:0.002)Citrobacter:0.011);
         `.trim();
 }
@@ -86,11 +89,11 @@ window.load_example = load_example;
 
 radio_file.addEventListener("click", () => {
     input_trees_file.disabled = false;
-    input_newick_string.disabled = true;
+    input_string.disabled = true;
 });
 
 radio_string.addEventListener("click", () => {
-    input_newick_string.disabled = false;
+    input_string.disabled = false;
     input_trees_file.disabled = true;
 });
 
diff --git a/ete4/smartview/static/upload.css b/ete4/smartview/static/upload.css
index 2e1b4c37..5fbe7a8f 100644
--- a/ete4/smartview/static/upload.css
+++ b/ete4/smartview/static/upload.css
@@ -11,13 +11,9 @@ body {
 }
 
 h1 {
-    font-size: 2em;
-    font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;
-    font-weight: 200;
-}
-
-h1, p {
     color: #333;
+    border-bottom: 3px solid #00b894;
+    text-shadow: 2px 2px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
 }
 
 div {
@@ -26,6 +22,33 @@ div {
 
 fieldset {
     display: inline-block;
+    border-style: solid;
+    border-width: 2px;
+    border-color: #DDD;
+    border-radius: 4px;
+
+}
+
+button {
+    padding: 12px 24px;
+    background-color: #0ea5e9;
+    color: white;
+    border: 0;
+    border-radius: 6px;
+    font-size: 1rem;
+    font-weight: 500;
+    cursor: pointer;
+    transition: transform 0.2s, box-shadow 0.2s;
+}
+
+button:hover {
+    background-color: #0284c7;
+    box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
+}
+
+button:active {
+    transform: translateY(0);
+    box-shadow: none;
 }
 
 div#div_metadata {
diff --git a/ete4/smartview/static/upload.html b/ete4/smartview/static/upload.html
index 42bca822..88eef429 100644
--- a/ete4/smartview/static/upload.html
+++ b/ete4/smartview/static/upload.html
@@ -12,16 +12,20 @@
 
 <div class="centered">
 
-<h1>Tree Explorer</h1>
+<h1>ETE Tree Explorer</h1>
 
-<p>This is an online tool for exploring trees. It is mainly used to explore
-<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phylogenetic_tree">phylogenetic trees</a>,
-but it can be used for any tree as long as it is written in the
-<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newick_format">newick format</a>.</p>
+<p>This is a tool for exploring trees. It is mainly used to explore
+<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phylogenetic_tree">phylogenetic
+trees</a>, but it can be used for any kind of tree.</p>
 
 <p>You can <a href="/">explore the pre-loaded trees</a>, or add your
 own trees for exploration by uploading them from this page.</p>
 
+<p>The tree can be written in
+the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newick_format">newick
+format</a> or a depth-indented listing (like the output of
+the <code>tree</code> program).</p>
+
 <p>When using the interactive gui for exploration, press <kbd>F1</kbd>
 or the help button in the viewer for instructions.</p>
 
@@ -33,8 +37,8 @@ <h1>Tree Explorer</h1>
     From string (<a href="#" onclick="load_example(); return false;">load
     an example</a>)
   </label><br>
-  <textarea id="input_newick_string" rows="8" cols="80"
-    placeholder="Newick representation of the tree" disabled></textarea>
+  <textarea id="input_string" rows="8" cols="80"
+    placeholder="Newick or indented representation of the tree" disabled></textarea>
   </div>
 
   <div>
@@ -46,20 +50,27 @@ <h1>Tree Explorer</h1>
   </fieldset>
 
   <div>
-  <fieldset><legend>How to interpret content of internal nodes</legend>
-  <div>
-  <input type="radio" id="radio_name" name="internal" value="name" checked>
-  <label for="radio_name">
-    As node name &mdash; <tt>((name:dist)name:dist);</tt>
-  </label>
-  </div>
+  <fieldset><legend>How to parse</legend>
+    <div>
+    <input type="radio" id="radio_name" name="parser" value="name" checked>
+    <label for="radio_name">
+      <tt>((name:dist)<b>name</b>:dist);</tt> (newick with internal node name)
+    </label>
+    </div>
 
-  <div>
-  <input type="radio" id="radio_support" name="internal" value="support">
-  <label for="radio_support">
-    As node support &mdash; <tt>((name:dist)support:dist);</tt>
-  </label>
-  </div>
+    <div>
+    <input type="radio" id="radio_support" name="parser" value="support">
+    <label for="radio_support">
+      <tt>((name:dist)<b>support</b>:dist);</tt> (newick with internal node support)
+    </label>
+    </div>
+
+    <div>
+    <input type="radio" id="radio_indent" name="parser" value="indent">
+    <label for="radio_indent">
+      Depth-indented listing
+    </label>
+    </div>
   </fieldset>
   </div>