Convert Excel to CSV — Free Online Converter
Convert Microsoft Excel (.excel) to Comma-Separated Values (.csv) online for free. Fast, secure document conversion with no watermarks or registration.
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How to Convert
Upload your .xlsx file by dragging it into the upload area or clicking to browse.
Choose your output settings. The default settings work great for most files.
Click Convert and download your .csv file when it's ready.
About XLSX to CSV Conversion
"Excel" is the generic term users search when they have a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet — whether it is the legacy .xls binary format or the modern .xlsx Open XML format — and need to convert it. CSV (Comma-Separated Values) is the universal plain-text tabular format where rows are lines and columns are delimited by commas. Converting an Excel spreadsheet to CSV extracts the raw cell values and produces a lightweight text file that every database, programming language, and analytics tool can consume without any Microsoft-specific dependencies.
This conversion strips away all formatting, formulas, charts, pivot tables, macros, and multi-sheet structure. What remains is the pure data — cell values only — in the most portable tabular format in existence. For data engineers, analysts, and developers feeding spreadsheet data into automated pipelines, CSV is the expected starting point.
Why Convert XLSX to CSV?
CSV is the lingua franca of data interchange. Python pandas, R, SQL bulk import, Apache Spark, BigQuery, Snowflake, and virtually every analytics platform treats CSV as a first-class citizen. When Excel data needs to enter a processing pipeline, CSV conversion eliminates the need for Excel-specific parsing libraries and their associated complexity.
CSV files are also dramatically smaller than formatted Excel files. A 5 MB spreadsheet with elaborate conditional formatting, charts, and pivot tables may reduce to a 200 KB CSV because only raw values are retained. For bulk data transfer, API payloads, and storage efficiency, CSV provides the leanest representation of tabular data.
Common Use Cases
- Import Excel spreadsheet data into PostgreSQL, MySQL, or SQL Server databases via CSV bulk load
- Feed Excel financial data into Python pandas or R analytics scripts
- Prepare Excel product catalogs for Shopify, WooCommerce, or Amazon bulk upload
- Convert Excel contact lists for CRM system imports that accept CSV
- Extract Excel sensor data logs for processing in time-series databases like InfluxDB
How It Works
LibreOffice opens the Excel file (detecting XLS or XLSX format automatically) in headless mode, evaluates all formulas to their current values, and exports the first or active worksheet as UTF-8 CSV with comma delimiters. Dates are serialized in ISO 8601 format. Numeric values retain full double-precision accuracy (up to 15 significant digits). Fields containing commas, double quotes, or newlines are properly enclosed in double quotes per RFC 4180.
Quality & Performance
Cell values are exported at full numeric precision. Formatting (currency symbols, percentage signs, color coding) is stripped — only raw values remain. Formula cells export computed results, not formula text. Merged cells are unmerged with the value in the top-left position. Only the first or active sheet is exported; multi-sheet workbooks require per-sheet conversion for complete data extraction.
Device Compatibility
| Device | XLSX | CSV |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Partial | Partial |
| macOS | Partial | Partial |
| iPhone/iPad | Partial | Partial |
| Android | Partial | Partial |
| Linux | Partial | Partial |
| Web Browser | No |
Tips for Best Results
- 1Check that formulas have been recalculated before converting — stale formula results carry over to the CSV
- 2Convert multi-sheet workbooks one sheet at a time for complete data extraction
- 3Verify date formats in the output match your target system's expectations
- 4Remove formatting-only rows (headers with merged cells, subtotal rows) before converting for cleaner CSV output
- 5Use a text editor to inspect the first few lines of the CSV before bulk importing into a database
Related Conversions
Excel-to-CSV conversion distills any Excel spreadsheet down to pure tabular data in the most universally compatible text format, ready for any data pipeline or analytics workflow.