Paste CSV or TSV data and the delimiter is detected for you. Switch between comma, tab, semicolon, and pipe, or set the output up for pasting into Excel.
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DetailsInput data
Detected:None
Settings
Input delimiter
Output delimiter
Quoting
Line endings
Rows
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Characters
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Converted output
TIP
To paste into Excel, click “Set up for Excel”, copy the output, select the first cell, and paste. Tab-separated text lands in separate columns.
What a CSV delimiter is and when to change it
A CSV file stores a table as plain text, with a delimiter character between the values in each row. The name says comma, but real files also use tabs (TSV), semicolons, and pipes. Which one you get depends on the system that wrote the file and on regional settings, because in many European locales the comma is the decimal symbol.
You need to change the delimiter when the program reading the file expects a different one: Excel on a machine whose list separator is a semicolon, a database or CRM import that asks for pipes, or a spreadsheet paste that only splits columns on tabs. This converter detects the input delimiter, then rewrites the data with the one you choose.
It reads quotes before it converts anything, so a comma inside "123 Main St, Apt 4" stays part of the address instead of becoming a new column. That is the part a plain find-and-replace gets wrong.
Common reasons to switch from comma to tab, semicolon, or pipe
A semicolon-delimited export that won't split in Excel
A report exported with semicolons lands in one column when Excel expects commas. Convert it to comma, or to tab and paste it in.
Pasting a table into a spreadsheet
Tab-separated text splits into columns when you paste it into Excel. Convert comma-separated data to tab first so each value gets its own cell.
An import that requires a specific delimiter
Some database loaders and CRM or ERP imports ask for tab or pipe-delimited files. Pick the delimiter and download the file as converted.csv or converted.tsv.
Cleaning up TSV or pipe-delimited text
Turn a tab-delimited export or a pipe-delimited log into standard comma-separated CSV, with trimming and empty-row removal in the same pass.
Notes and addresses that contain commas or line breaks
Quoted fields are read as single values, so free-text columns survive the conversion. Fields that need quotes in the new format get them automatically.
How to change the separator in a CSV file
- Paste your data into the input box, or choose a .csv, .tsv, or .txt file.
- Check the detected delimiter under the box. If it is wrong, pick the input delimiter yourself.
- Choose the output delimiter. For Excel, click "Set up for Excel" to get tab output, quoting only when needed, and CRLF line endings.
- Copy the converted output, or download it as converted.csv or converted.tsv.
Note: Conversion happens in your browser. Pasted text and chosen files are not uploaded.
What the converter handles, and where it stops
- Auto-detect only tests comma, tab, semicolon, and pipe, using the first 20 non-blank lines. It ignores quotes, so text with many commas inside quoted fields can fool it. Choose the delimiter manually for space or custom characters.
- A custom delimiter is a single character. If the custom box is empty, a comma is used.
- The space option splits on every single space, so two spaces in a row create an empty field.
- A quote opens a quoted field only when it is the first character of the field. In a, "b,c" the space before the quote means the quote is read as plain text.
- "Never quote" writes values as they are. If a value contains the output delimiter or a line break, it will break the row, and the tool warns you when that happens.
- Rows are not padded. If one row has fewer values than the others, it stays shorter, and the tool tells you when row lengths differ.
- Files are read as UTF-8 unless you pick another encoding. Downloads are always UTF-8, with an optional BOM.
Comma, tab, semicolon, pipe: which delimiter does what
The delimiters this converter supports and where each one tends to show up.
| Delimiter | Also called | Typically used for |
|---|---|---|
| Comma ( , ) | CSV | The default for most CSV exports; matches the list separator on US-English Windows |
| Tab ( \t ) | TSV | Pasting into spreadsheets, and data where commas appear inside values |
| Semicolon ( ; ) | Semicolon-delimited CSV | Exports from regions where the comma is the decimal symbol |
| Pipe ( | ) | Pipe-delimited | Text-heavy data and system-to-system feeds, since pipes rarely appear in the content |
| Space | Space-delimited | Command-line output and simple logs |
Why Excel opens your CSV in one column, and other quirks
Four things that explain most delimiter and import problems.
Excel uses your regional list separator
When you double-click a CSV, Excel splits columns on the list separator in your regional settings. On US-English Windows that is a comma. In many European settings, where the comma is the decimal symbol, it is a semicolon. If the file uses the other character, every row ends up in column A. Convert the delimiter here to match your system, or bring the file in through Data > From Text/CSV and pick the delimiter there.
Why find-and-replace breaks CSV files
Replacing every comma with a tab also changes the commas inside quoted fields, so addresses and notes get split into extra columns. This tool reads the quotes first, then writes the data back out with the new delimiter, adding quotes only where a value needs them.
ANSI vs UTF-8: why accented letters turn into odd symbols
Excel's plain CSV (Comma delimited) save option uses ANSI (Windows-1252), while Excel 2016 and later also offers CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited). If a file's accented characters look wrong, choose Windows-1252 in the encoding menu before you pick the file. Downloads from this tool are UTF-8, and the BOM option helps Excel recognize that.
LF and CRLF line endings
Windows text files usually end lines with CRLF, while Mac and Linux use LF. The converter reads CRLF, LF, and a lone CR on input. For output, pick the one your target program expects.
Fixing CSV files that open in one column or shift columns
Everything lands in column A
A semicolon-delimited file opens in an Excel that expects commas, or the other way around, and every row ends up in a single column.
💡 See the solution▼
Columns shift after converting because of commas in addresses or notes
A find-and-replace turned commas inside quoted fields into new columns, so some rows now have extra values.
💡 See the solution▼
Accented letters turn into odd symbols
The file was saved as ANSI (Windows-1252), for example by Excel's plain CSV option, but it was read as UTF-8.
💡 See the solution▼
Auto-detect picks the wrong delimiter
Free-text columns with many commas, or a file with only one or two lines, can make a comma look more consistent than the real delimiter.
💡 See the solution▼
Delimiter, quoting, and encoding questions
Q.How does the tool detect the delimiter?
A. It checks the first 20 non-blank lines for commas, tabs, semicolons, and pipes, and picks the one that appears the same number of times on the most lines. Detection does not take quotes into account, and it never picks space or a custom character. If the guess is wrong, choose the input delimiter yourself.
Q.How do I convert a CSV so it pastes into Excel as separate columns?
A. Click "Set up for Excel". It sets the output to tab-delimited, quotes fields only when needed, and uses CRLF line endings. Copy the output, select the first cell in Excel, and paste. If you already have a CSV file open, Data > From Text/CSV lets you pick the delimiter in Excel itself.
Q.Why does my CSV open in a single column in Excel?
A. Excel splits CSV columns on the list separator from your computer's regional settings. On US-English Windows that is a comma, while many European settings use a semicolon because the comma is the decimal symbol. If the file uses the other character, every row lands in column A. Convert the file here to match your system, or import it with Data > From Text/CSV and choose the delimiter.
Q.Does it handle commas and line breaks inside quoted fields?
A. Yes. A field wrapped in double quotes is read as one value, even if it contains the delimiter or a line break, and a doubled quote ("") becomes a single quote character. A quote only opens a quoted field when it is the first character of the field. On output, "Only when needed" wraps any field that contains the output delimiter, a quote, or a line break.
Q.Can I convert a TSV file to CSV?
A. Yes. Leave the input on Auto-detect or choose Tab, then choose Comma as the output delimiter. Fields that contain a comma are wrapped in quotes so they stay in one column.
Q.What do "Trim spaces around fields" and "Remove empty rows" do?
A. Trim removes leading and trailing spaces from every field, including fields that were quoted. Remove empty rows drops any row where every field is empty. Both are on by default and you can turn either one off.
Q.Why do accented characters look wrong after I open a file?
A. Files are read as UTF-8 by default. Excel's plain "CSV (Comma delimited)" option saves in ANSI (Windows-1252) rather than UTF-8, so accented letters can come out as odd symbols. Pick Windows-1252 in the file encoding menu and choose the file again. Excel 2016 and later also offers a "CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited)" save option.
Q.What file do I get when I download the result?
A. A file named converted.tsv when the output delimiter is tab, and converted.csv for every other delimiter. The file is always saved as UTF-8. The "Add a UTF-8 BOM" option is on by default; the BOM is a marker at the start of the file that Excel uses to recognize UTF-8. It is added to downloads only, not to copied text.
Q.Is my data uploaded anywhere?
A. No. The text you paste and the files you choose are read and converted in your browser by this tool, and the tool does not send them to a server.
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