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CSV to TSV

Convert CSV to TSV format

Click or drop a .csv file hereChoose a .csv file (up to 50 MB), or paste below

About CSV to TSV

CSV to TSV rewrites CSV with tabs between the values. It reads text you paste, or a .csv or .txt file, which it opens in the input box. The separator (comma, semicolon, tab, or pipe) is detected, and so is the encoding of a file, including the Windows code pages Excel uses for CSV. A value that contains a tab or a line break, or begins with a double quote, is put in quotes in the TSV so it stays one cell; every other value is copied unchanged. The result can be copied or downloaded as a .tsv file.

Example

A semicolon CSV with a quoted note on two lines, and the TSV the tool returns (tabs shown as →):

CSV

Name;Price;Note
"Smith; John";12,5;"line one
line two"

TSV

Name→Price→Note
Smith; John→12,5→"line one
line two"

How to convert CSV to TSV

  1. 1Choose a .csv or .txt file in the upload area, or paste CSV into "CSV input".
  2. 2Check "Delimiter:" and, for a file, "Encoding:"; choosing another encoding reads the file again.
  3. 3Click "Convert" to fill "TSV output".
  4. 4Click "Copy", or "Download" to save a .tsv named after your file (converted.tsv for pasted text).

Formats and limits

Input
CSV or TXT file up to 50 MB, or pasted text
Output
TSV text, one row per line, except a quoted value that holds a line break
Separators read
comma, semicolon, tab, or pipe, detected or chosen

Where your file is processed

Your file is read in full by the browser and converted on the page itself, so the CSV is not uploaded. Errors, including one that happens without a message on screen, reach us as a report: the error text stripped of file names and quoted text, the name of this tool, and your browser and its version.

Frequently asked questions

Does it read semicolon CSV files from European Excel?

Yes. The semicolon is one of the four separators detected, so Nom;Prix with 12,5 keeps its columns. Values are not changed: the decimal comma is copied as it is into the TSV.

Will a value with a line break split my rows?

No. Inside quotes in the CSV, a line break or a tab belongs to the value, and the TSV writes that value in double quotes so Excel and LibreOffice read it back as one cell.

Can I choose the encoding of an old CSV file?

Yes. After you open a file, "Encoding:" shows what was detected, and choosing another reads the file again with it. A file with a byte order mark or valid UTF-8 is recognized; otherwise the code page of your browser language is assumed.

Tips and tricks

  • ✓To go back from tabs to commas, use TSV to CSV.

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