CSV Delimiter Converter
Switch CSV delimiters between comma, semicolon, tab, pipe, or any custom character.
CSV delimiter converter changes the field separator in a CSV file from one character to another. Paste your CSV data, select the current delimiter and the target delimiter, and the converted output appears instantly. Quoted fields containing the delimiter are handled correctly per RFC 4180. Quotes inside values are escaped with double quotes. Supported delimiters are comma, semicolon, tab, pipe, and any custom character. All conversion runs in your browser.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I change CSV delimiter from comma to semicolon?
- Paste your CSV data into the input box. Set "From" to Comma and "To" to Semicolon. The converted output appears immediately. Fields containing a semicolon are automatically wrapped in double quotes so the structure is preserved.
- How do I convert CSV to TSV?
- Set "From" to Comma and "To" to Tab. The output is a tab-delimited file where each field is separated by a tab character. TSV files open correctly in Excel and Google Sheets on systems where the comma is the decimal separator. Comma-delimited files misparse on those systems.
- Why does Excel open my CSV with wrong columns?
- Excel uses the system locale to decide which character is the CSV delimiter. European Windows systems with German, French, or Spanish locale make Excel expect semicolons, not commas, as the delimiter. Converting your CSV from comma to semicolon before opening it in Excel fixes the column splitting.
- What is RFC 4180 CSV format?
- RFC 4180 is the standard specification for CSV files. Fields can be enclosed in double quotes. A double quote inside a quoted field is escaped by writing it twice. Delimiter and newline characters inside quoted fields are treated as literal text. Most spreadsheet programs follow this standard.
- Can I use a custom delimiter character?
- Yes. Select "Custom" in either the From or To selector and type any character in the text field that appears. The custom option handles vertical bar, tilde, caret, or any single character used as a delimiter in older export formats.
What is CSV Delimiter Converter?
CSV delimiter converter changes the field separator character in a CSV data set. CSV stands for Comma-Separated Values, but many systems use different delimiters. European versions of Excel default to semicolons. Databases often export with pipe characters. Some legacy systems use tab characters, producing TSV files. Converting between these formats is what the tool does.
The parser follows the RFC 4180 standard for CSV. Fields containing the delimiter character are quoted. Double quotes within a quoted field are escaped by doubling them. The converter re-quotes fields correctly for the new delimiter. Values containing the new separator are wrapped in double quotes in the output.
How does it work?
The parser reads the input one character at a time, tracking whether it is inside a quoted field. When it encounters the "from" delimiter outside a quoted field, it ends the current cell. After all cells in a row are parsed, the row is re-joined with the "to" delimiter. Quoting is applied where necessary. The process repeats for each line in the input.
The row count shown below the output reflects how many data rows were converted. A mismatch with the input row count means the parser misread the structure. Multiline quoted fields are the most common cause.
When should you use CSV Delimiter Converter?
Use it when a client or system expects a specific delimiter that your export tool does not produce. Most databases and BI tools have a delimiter option in their export settings. When that option is missing, or the export has already happened, converting here is faster than re-exporting.
Use it to fix European Excel CSV compatibility. When a Windows system locale uses a comma as the decimal separator, Excel treats semicolons as the CSV delimiter. A CSV exported from an Indian or American system with commas will open as a single column in this case. Converting to semicolons fixes the import.
Tips to get the best results
- If your CSV has a header row, it is included in the conversion automatically. The first row is treated as data just like every other row.
- Check the row count in the output against the input row count. A mismatch usually means multiline quoted fields are present in the data.
- For tab-delimited files copied from spreadsheets, the From delimiter should be Tab. Spreadsheet copy-paste uses tabs between columns and newlines between rows by default.
- If your values contain double quotes, make sure they are already escaped as doubled double quotes before converting. An unescaped quote inside a field will confuse the parser.