CSV to Excel Converter
Free CSV to Excel Converter: open the file via Data ▸ From Text/CSV (not by double-clicking), check the detected delimiter and column types in the...
3 rows · 3 columns · Clean numbers become numeric cells; IDs like 007 stay text.
How it works
In Excel or Google Sheets, open the file via Data ▸ From Text/CSV (not by double-clicking), check the detected delimiter and column types in the preview, then Load — or convert it to a real .xlsx with the tool above.
Open a blank workbook and use Data ▸ From Text/CSV to pick the .csv file.
In the preview, set the delimiter (comma, semicolon, tab) and File Origin/encoding if characters look wrong.
Click Transform Data to set column types — make ID-like columns Text so leading zeros survive.
Close & Load, then save the result as .xlsx. Or paste/upload the CSV into the converter above and download the .xlsx directly.
What this does
A .csv is plain text, not an Excel file — Excel merely knows how to display it. Double-clicking lets Excel guess the delimiter and data types, which is where mangled umlauts, stripped leading zeros, and dates like 1/2 turning into February 1st come from. Importing through Data ▸ From Text/CSV (Power Query) shows a preview where you control the delimiter, encoding, and per-column types before anything is loaded.
A worked example
A bank export orders.csv uses semicolons and contains the customer number 007. Double-clicked, Excel shows 7 in one column on some systems and everything-in-column-A on others. Imported via From Text/CSV with delimiter Semicolon and the customer column set to Text, it loads as 007 in its own column — then File ▸ Save As .xlsx makes it a real workbook. Almost every system exports CSV, and almost every recipient wants a clean spreadsheet. Controlling the import (or converting directly) prevents the classic silent data corruption: lost zeros, wrong dates, broken characters.
Common mistakes
- Double-clicking the CSV and letting Excel guess the delimiter and types.
- Losing leading zeros because numeric-looking IDs were auto-typed as numbers.
- Broken ä/ö/ü because the file is UTF-8 but was read as ANSI — set File Origin to 65001: Unicode (UTF-8).
- Saving the imported data back as .csv and wondering where the formatting went — save as .xlsx.
FAQ
Is a CSV file an Excel file?
No. CSV is plain text with delimiter-separated values. Excel can open and display it, but features like formulas, formatting, and multiple sheets need .xlsx.
Why does my CSV open with everything in column A?
The file's delimiter does not match your system list separator (comma vs. semicolon). Import via Data ▸ From Text/CSV and set the delimiter explicitly.
Is the converter on this page safe for confidential data?
Yes — it builds the .xlsx entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.