Text ⇄ CSV Converter

Overview

This text to CSV converter transforms delimited text data into standard CSV format. It also works as a CSV to text converter for exporting CSV data to custom-delimited formats like tab-separated values (TSV) or pipe-separated files.

Many applications export data using different delimiters. Some use tabs while others use pipes or semicolons. This tool bridges the gap by converting between any delimiter format and standard CSV which is universally supported by spreadsheet applications and databases.

Whether you need to convert a tab-separated log file to CSV for Excel or transform CSV data into a pipe-delimited format for a legacy system this tool handles the conversion instantly in your browser.

When to Use This Tool

Use this text to CSV converter when you need to transform data between different delimiter formats. After conversion you can use our CSV to JSON Converter to further transform the data for web applications.

• Converting tab-separated log files to CSV for spreadsheet analysis
• Transforming pipe-delimited exports for database imports
• Preparing data from legacy systems that use non-standard delimiters
• Converting CSV files to tab-separated format for specific applications
• Cleaning up data exports with inconsistent formatting
• Creating TSV files from CSV data for bioinformatics tools
• Preparing data for bulk imports into CRM or ERP systems

How to Use

1. Select the conversion direction - Choose "Text to CSV" to convert delimited text to CSV or "CSV to Text" to convert CSV to a custom delimiter.
2. Choose your delimiter - Select the delimiter used in your input (for Text to CSV) or the delimiter you want in your output (for CSV to Text).
3. Paste your input data - Paste your delimited text or CSV data into the input area. You can also upload a file using the upload button.
4. Click Convert - Press the Convert button to transform your data instantly.
5. Copy or download the result - Use the Copy button to copy the output or download it as a file.

How It Works

Text to CSV Conversion

• Delimiter detection - The tool splits each line by your selected delimiter
• Value trimming - Whitespace around values is automatically removed
• Quote handling - Values containing commas or quotes are properly escaped
• Line preservation - Empty lines are filtered out for clean output

CSV to Text Conversion

• CSV parsing - Properly handles quoted values and escaped characters
• Delimiter replacement - Commas are replaced with your chosen delimiter
• Quote removal - Unnecessary quotes are stripped from the output
• Format preservation - Data structure and row order are maintained

Supported Delimiters

This tool supports the most common delimiters used in data files:

• Comma (,) - Standard CSV delimiter used by most spreadsheet applications
• Tab - Common in TSV files and data copied from spreadsheets
• Semicolon (;) - Used in European locales where comma is the decimal separator
• Pipe (|) - Popular in database exports and legacy systems
• Space - Used in fixed-width or simple space-separated files

Limitations and Considerations

• Consistent columns - Each row should have the same number of delimited values for best results
• Embedded delimiters - If your data contains the delimiter character within values consider using a different delimiter
• Large files - Very large files may slow down your browser. Consider splitting files over 10MB
• Binary data - This tool is designed for text data only. Binary files are not supported
• Encoding - The tool assumes UTF-8 encoding. Other encodings may not display correctly

Examples

Text to CSV Example (Tab-Separated)

Converting a tab-separated user list to CSV:

Name  Email  Department
John Doe  john@company.com  Engineering
Jane Smith  jane@company.com  Marketing
Bob Wilson  bob@company.com  Sales

Name,Email,Department
John Doe,john@company.com,Engineering
Jane Smith,jane@company.com,Marketing
Bob Wilson,bob@company.com,Sales

CSV to Text Example (Pipe-Separated)

Converting CSV data to pipe-separated format:

id,product,price,stock
1,Widget A,29.99,150
2,Gadget B,49.99,75
3,Tool C,19.99,200

id|product|price|stock
1|Widget A|29.99|150
2|Gadget B|49.99|75
3|Tool C|19.99|200

Handling Special Characters

When converting text to CSV values containing commas are automatically quoted:

Name  Address  City
John Doe  123 Main St, Apt 4  New York
Jane Smith  456 Oak Ave, Suite 100  Los Angeles

Name,Address,City
John Doe,"123 Main St, Apt 4",New York
Jane Smith,"456 Oak Ave, Suite 100",Los Angeles

Frequently Asked Questions