diff --git a/src/entry.rs b/src/entry.rs
index 94f87b8..42398b7 100644
--- a/src/entry.rs
+++ b/src/entry.rs
@@ -169,6 +169,59 @@ impl KdlEntry {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Auto-formats this entry with multiline string handling.
+    pub(crate) fn autoformat_with_multiline(
+        &mut self,
+        expand: crate::fmt::MultilineStringExpansion,
+    ) {
+        use crate::fmt::MultilineStringExpansion::*;
+
+        let should_preserve_repr = match expand {
+            Never => false,
+            Always => {
+                if let Some(s) = self.value.as_string() {
+                    if s.contains('\n') {
+                        // Convert to multiline format
+                        let multiline = format!("\"\"\"\n{}\n\"\"\"", s);
+                        #[cfg(feature = "v1")]
+                        self.ensure_v2();
+                        self.format = Some(KdlEntryFormat {
+                            value_repr: multiline,
+                            leading: " ".into(),
+                            ..Default::default()
+                        });
+                        if let Some(name) = &mut self.name {
+                            name.autoformat();
+                        }
+                        return;
+                    }
+                }
+                false
+            }
+            TripleQuotes => self
+                .format
+                .as_ref()
+                .is_some_and(|f| f.value_repr.starts_with("\"\"\"")),
+        };
+
+        if should_preserve_repr {
+            #[cfg(feature = "v1")]
+            self.ensure_v2();
+            self.format = self.format.take().map(|f| KdlEntryFormat {
+                value_repr: f.value_repr,
+                leading: " ".into(),
+                ..Default::default()
+            });
+        } else {
+            self.autoformat();
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if let Some(name) = &mut self.name {
+            name.autoformat();
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Auto-formats this entry.
     pub fn autoformat(&mut self) {
         // TODO once MSRV allows (1.80.0):
diff --git a/src/fmt.rs b/src/fmt.rs
index 238fb75..4abff1d 100644
--- a/src/fmt.rs
+++ b/src/fmt.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
 use std::fmt::Write as _;
 
+/// Controls how multiline strings are handled during formatting.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Default)]
+pub enum MultilineStringExpansion {
+    /// Keep strings as-is (current behavior).
+    #[default]
+    Never,
+    /// Convert any string with `\n` to `"""..."""` syntax.
+    Always,
+    /// Only preserve existing `"""..."""` syntax.
+    TripleQuotes,
+}
+
 /// Formatting configuration for use with [`KdlDocument::autoformat_config`](`crate::KdlDocument::autoformat_config`)
 /// and [`KdlNode::autoformat_config`](`crate::KdlNode::autoformat_config`).
 #[non_exhaustive]
@@ -18,6 +30,9 @@ pub struct FormatConfig<'a> {
 
     /// Whether to keep individual entry formatting.
     pub entry_autoformate_keep: bool,
+
+    /// How to handle multiline strings during formatting.
+    pub expand_multiline: MultilineStringExpansion,
 }
 
 /// See field documentation for defaults.
@@ -48,6 +63,7 @@ impl<'a> FormatConfigBuilder<'a> {
             indent: "    ",
             no_comments: false,
             entry_autoformate_keep: false,
+            expand_multiline: MultilineStringExpansion::Never,
         })
     }
 
@@ -105,6 +121,13 @@ impl<'a> FormatConfigBuilder<'a> {
         self
     }
 
+    /// How to handle multiline strings during formatting.
+    /// Defaults to `Never` iff not specified.
+    pub const fn expand_multiline(mut self, expand_multiline: MultilineStringExpansion) -> Self {
+        self.0.expand_multiline = expand_multiline;
+        self
+    }
+
     /// Builds the [`FormatConfig`].
     pub const fn build(self) -> FormatConfig<'a> {
         self.0
@@ -168,6 +191,7 @@ mod test {
                 indent: " \t",
                 no_comments: true,
                 entry_autoformate_keep: false,
+                expand_multiline: MultilineStringExpansion::Never,
             }
         ));
         Ok(())
diff --git a/src/node.rs b/src/node.rs
index af9914b..a0cb56a 100644
--- a/src/node.rs
+++ b/src/node.rs
@@ -311,8 +311,10 @@ impl KdlNode {
         for entry in &mut self.entries {
             if config.entry_autoformate_keep {
                 entry.keep_format();
+                entry.autoformat();
+            } else {
+                entry.autoformat_with_multiline(config.expand_multiline);
             }
-            entry.autoformat();
         }
         if let Some(children) = self.children.as_mut() {
             children.autoformat_config(&FormatConfig {
diff --git a/tests/formatting.rs b/tests/formatting.rs
index a554aae..f9fd007 100644
--- a/tests/formatting.rs
+++ b/tests/formatting.rs
@@ -24,3 +24,96 @@ fn build_and_format() {
 "#
     );
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn multiline_string_never() -> miette::Result<()> {
+    let input = r#"multi """
+      a
+      b
+      c
+      """
+multi-explicit "a\nb\nc""#;
+
+    let mut doc: KdlDocument = input.parse()?;
+    doc.autoformat();
+
+    let output = doc.to_string();
+    assert_eq!(
+        output,
+        "multi \"a\\nb\\nc\"\nmulti-explicit \"a\\nb\\nc\"\n"
+    );
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn multiline_string_triple_quotes() -> miette::Result<()> {
+    let input = r#"multi """
+      a
+      b
+      c
+      """
+multi-explicit "a\nb\nc""#;
+
+    let mut doc: KdlDocument = input.parse()?;
+    doc.autoformat_config(
+        &kdl::FormatConfig::builder()
+            .expand_multiline(kdl::MultilineStringExpansion::TripleQuotes)
+            .build(),
+    );
+
+    let output = doc.to_string();
+    assert!(output.contains("multi \"\"\""));
+    assert!(output.contains("multi-explicit \"a\\nb\\nc\""));
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn multiline_string_always() -> miette::Result<()> {
+    let input = r#"multi """
+      a
+      b
+      c
+      """
+multi-explicit "a\nb\nc""#;
+
+    let mut doc: KdlDocument = input.parse()?;
+    doc.autoformat_config(
+        &kdl::FormatConfig::builder()
+            .expand_multiline(kdl::MultilineStringExpansion::Always)
+            .build(),
+    );
+
+    let output = doc.to_string();
+    assert!(output.contains("multi \"\"\""));
+    assert!(output.contains("multi-explicit \"\"\""));
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn multiline_string_nested_triple_quotes() -> miette::Result<()> {
+    let input = r#"some-node {
+    multi """
+        a
+        b
+        c
+     """
+     explicit "a\nb\nc"
+}"#;
+
+    let mut doc: KdlDocument = input.parse()?;
+    doc.autoformat_config(
+        &kdl::FormatConfig::builder()
+            .expand_multiline(kdl::MultilineStringExpansion::TripleQuotes)
+            .build(),
+    );
+
+    let output = doc.to_string();
+    // Multiline string should be preserved
+    assert!(output.contains("multi \"\"\""));
+    // Regular string should be normalized
+    assert!(output.contains("explicit \"a\\nb\\nc\""));
+    // Indentation should be normalized to 4 spaces
+    assert!(output.contains("    multi"));
+    assert!(output.contains("    explicit"));
+    Ok(())
+}