PDFConvertersOnline.comHow to convert Excel to CSV
- Open your .xlsx, .xls or .ods file.
- Choose the sheet (or all sheets) and the separator the other system expects.
- Download the CSV. With several sheets, you get one CSV per sheet in a ZIP.
Why other systems want CSV, not .xlsx
Shop platforms, email marketing tools, CRMs, payroll services, databases and data-science scripts almost all have an "Import CSV" button, and many of them won't take a workbook. An .xlsx file is a bundle of XML documents with styles, formulas and multiple sheets. A CSV is plain text: one line per row, values separated by a delimiter. Converting strips away everything the importer doesn't understand and leaves only the values.
You don't need Excel installed for this. Files made with Excel, Google Sheets (downloaded as .xlsx), LibreOffice Calc or Numbers exports open here, including the old binary .xls format and OpenDocument .ods.
How values are written
| In the sheet | In the CSV |
|---|---|
| A date such as 3/14/2026 | 2026-03-14 (ISO 8601) |
| Date and time | 2026-03-14T09:30:00 |
| A formula | its last calculated result, as saved in the file |
| $1,234.50 formatted as currency | 1234.5, or $1,234.50 with the formatted option |
| TRUE / FALSE | true / false |
ISO dates are the safest choice for imports because they can't be mixed up: 03/04 is March 4 in the US and April 3 in much of the world, while 2026-03-04 means the same thing everywhere. Raw numbers without thousands separators or currency symbols are what most importers expect too. If a system needs the numbers exactly as they're displayed, tick Use values as shown in the sheet.
Empty rows below your data and empty columns to its right are trimmed, so you don't get hundreds of trailing commas from a stray formatted cell far down the page.
Workbooks with several sheets
A CSV holds exactly one table, so each sheet has to become its own file. Pick a single sheet from the menu, or choose All sheets to get a ZIP with one CSV per sheet, each named after its tab. Before downloading, the preview shows the first 100 rows so you can confirm you've got the right sheet and that the header row is where you expect it.
Match the importer's settings
- Separator: comma is the default; some tools want semicolon or tab. Check the importer's help page if in doubt.
- BOM: if you plan to reopen the CSV in Excel and your data has accented letters, add the byte-order mark. Most import tools prefer it off.
- Header row: the first row of the sheet is written as-is, so make sure it contains your column names.
Merged cells keep their value in the top-left cell only, and cell colors, comments and charts aren't part of CSV. Password-protected workbooks can't be read; remove the password in Excel first. Need JSON for an app instead? Excel to JSON reads the same files.
More ways to use this tool
Frequently asked questions
Is my Excel file uploaded?
No. The workbook is read by code running in your browser, and the CSV is generated on your device.
Do formulas carry over?
The CSV contains each formula's result as it was last saved in the file. The formulas themselves aren't part of the CSV format.
How are dates exported?
As ISO 8601 text, for example 2026-03-14, or with a time as 2026-03-14T09:30:00. This format is read correctly by nearly every import tool.
Can I export all sheets at once?
Yes. Choose All sheets and you'll get a ZIP containing one CSV file per sheet.
Does it work with .xls and .ods?
Yes. Old Excel 97–2003 .xls files and OpenDocument .ods spreadsheets are supported as well as .xlsx.