A CSV file (Comma-Separated Values) contains structured data that can be opened in spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and Apple Numbers. Because CSV files often load incorrectly due to delimiter issues, it's important to import them properly. Below are step-by-step instructions on how to do this.
Opening a CSV File in Microsoft Excel (Windows and macOS)
Open Excel and go to File > Open.
Select the CSV file. Sometimes it loads correctly immediately. If all data appears in a single column, follow these steps:
Go to the Data tab and click Text to Columns.
Select Delimited and click Next.
Check the correct delimiter:
Comma (
,) if the data is separated by commas.Semicolon (
;) if the data is separated by semicolons.
Click Finish to properly distribute the data into columns.
Verify that numbers and text display correctly.
Opening a CSV File in Google Sheets
Go to Google Sheets.
Click File > Import and choose Upload to select your CSV file.
In the import window:
Choose Create a new spreadsheet or Replace current sheet.
Ensure the correct delimiter is detected. If not, manually select Comma or Semicolon under Custom separators.
Click Import data.
Verify that columns have been loaded correctly. If all data appears in a single column:
Select the column and go to Data > Split text to columns.
Choose the correct delimiter to properly distribute the data.
Opening a CSV File in Apple Numbers (macOS and iOS)
Open Apple Numbers.
Go to File > Open and select the CSV file.
If all data appears in a single column:
Select the column and go to Format > Adjust Import Settings.
Choose the correct delimiter (
,or;).Numbers will automatically distribute the data into separate columns.
Verify that all data is correctly loaded.
Additional Tips
CSV files can have different delimiters depending on language settings. If data is loaded incorrectly, try selecting a different delimiter during import.
If special characters do not display correctly, choose UTF-8 encoding when importing.
In Google Sheets, you can manually split columns using Data > Split text to columns if the import does not work correctly.