How to convert TSV to CSV
- Pick the tab-delimited .tsv or .txt file.
- Choose comma or semicolon as the separator for the new file.
- Convert and save the CSV.
Safe for addresses and descriptions
A tab file does not need quotes around "Unit 4, Harbour Road", but a CSV does, or the address splits into two columns. The converter reads the tab structure first and then writes every value again, putting quotes around anything that contains the separator, a quote or a line break and doubling quotes that appear inside text.
If the tab file was written by Excel or Google Sheets with quoted cells, for example a note with a line break, those cells are read as one value.
Pick the separator for your region
Comma is the default and suits most import tools. Choose semicolon when the CSV is meant for Excel in a region where the decimal mark is a comma, so the columns split correctly on double-click.
The CSV uses CRLF line endings. Under More settings, the BOM option helps Excel on Windows recognise the file as UTF-8.
Unicode Text and older encodings
Excel's "Unicode Text" save option writes a tab-delimited file in UTF-16 with a byte order mark. That encoding is recognised automatically, so such files convert without first being re-saved.
Tab files from older Windows programs saved in Windows-1252 are detected as well, keeping umlauts and accents intact. Whatever came in, the CSV is always written as UTF-8.
Questions
Do I need to rename my .txt file first?
No. A .txt file with tabs between the columns is converted the same way.
What happens to rows of different lengths?
They are written as they are, without adding or removing cells, so check the import preview if a report has subtotal lines.
Is the file kept anywhere?
No. It is converted in your browser and never uploaded.