How to convert Excel (XLSX) to CSV
CSV is plain text: one row per line, columns separated by commas. It has no colours, formulas or multiple sheets, which is exactly why nearly every import tool accepts it: online stores, CRMs, invoicing software, databases and scripts.
This converter pulls the data out of your Excel workbook into a CSV ready to import.
Step by step
- Put the data you want to export on the first sheet of the workbook.
- Click Select file and choose the .xlsx (up to 50 MB).
- Check that Convert to shows CSV and click Export data to CSV.
- Download the CSV and import it into the target app.
What gets exported
Only the first sheet of the workbook is exported. If your data is on another tab, move it to the first position before converting.
Cell values are saved: formulas are replaced by their results, and colours, borders, merged cells, comments and charts are dropped. The separator is a comma, text is wrapped in double quotes where needed, and the file is UTF-8 encoded, so accented characters survive.
Opening the CSV in Excel with European settings
Excel set to a language that uses a comma as the decimal separator, such as Spanish, French or German, expects semicolons in CSV files. If you double-click the CSV and everything lands in one column, the file is fine: import it via Data > From Text/CSV and choose comma as the delimiter.
Before importing into another system, make sure the first row holds the column names and there are no title or total rows the app does not expect.
Frequently asked questions
- Are all the sheets exported?
- No, only the first one. Move the sheet you need to the front, or convert copies of the workbook separately.
- Which delimiter does the CSV use?
- A comma, with double quotes around text that needs them, in UTF-8 encoding.
- Are formulas kept?
- No. CSV only stores values, so each formula is replaced by its result.
- Why does Excel put everything in one column?
- Your regional settings expect semicolons. Import the file via Data > From Text/CSV and pick comma.
