How CSV to Excel conversion works
This tool reads your CSV file and creates a real .xlsx workbook you can open in Excel, Google Sheets, or other spreadsheet apps. Everything runs directly in your browser, nothing is uploaded or stored anywhere, making it a good option for private data.
When to use this tool
CSV is great for exporting data, but it can be annoying to import and format correctly every time. Converting to Excel helps when you want to sort, filter, format, share, or build formulas without dealing with import settings.
- Reports and exports: convert CSV exports into spreadsheets that are easier to work with.
- Cleanup and formatting: apply column widths, formatting, and filters in Excel.
- Sharing: send an .xlsx file that opens cleanly for most people.
- Analysis: use formulas, pivot tables, and charts after conversion.
Need the “reverse” direction (Excel → CSV)? Try our Excel to CSV Converter. If you need a JSON format instead, use this Excel to JSON Converter.
Step-by-step: from CSV to Excel
Converting your CSV takes just a few seconds:
- Add your CSV files. Drag and drop files into the box above, or click to choose from your device.
- Review the list. Each file appears with its name and status, ready to convert.
- Convert to Excel. Click Convert to Excel. The tool processes everything directly in your browser.
- Save your .xlsx files. Save files one by one or use “Save all Excel files” once everything is ready.
Quality & limitations
CSV looks simple, but small format details can change how rows and columns import. This converter makes a real .xlsx, but the result still depends on how your CSV is structured.
- RFC4180 quoting: Many CSV exports follow RFC4180 rules, where commas inside quotes stay in the same cell (e.g., "Toronto, ON"). If quoting is inconsistent, rows can shift or split unexpectedly. Newlines inside cells (multi-line text) can also be tricky if the file is not quoted properly.
- Encoding issues (UTF-8 vs Windows-1252): For best results, use UTF-8. Some exports include a UTF-8 BOM (a tiny marker at the start of the file) which can help certain apps detect encoding. If you see “mojibake” (garbled characters like José instead of José), the file was likely saved or read using the wrong encoding.
- Type coercion risks: Spreadsheet apps often interpret values as numbers or dates. That can change IDs, long numbers, and leading zeros, or display values in scientific notation. If you need exact text values, format those columns as Text in Excel after conversion.
If your output looks off, jump to Troubleshooting for quick fixes (delimiter, encoding, and “numbers turned into dates” are the usual culprits).
Privacy, limits and how this tool treats your files
FileYoga is built around a simple rule: your files stay with you. CSV to Excel conversion runs locally in your browser, so your data is never uploaded to FileYoga servers.
Local-only conversion
Conversion runs locally in your browser on your device. Your CSV isn’t uploaded, and the Excel output is generated on your side.
No hidden copies
When you clear the list or close the tab, the tool stops using your files and does not save copies on a server.
No artificial limits
No paywalls or quotas. The only limits come from your device’s memory and your browser.
No account required
Use the converter without signing up. Open the page, convert your files, and leave when you are done.
If you are working with sensitive data (customer exports, internal reports, financial lists), this setup means you keep full control from start to finish.
Tips for best results
- If your CSV uses semicolons instead of commas, Excel conversion may still work, but columns can import differently depending on the file.
- Keep a consistent number of columns per row for cleaner spreadsheets.
- If you see weird characters, your CSV may be using a different encoding. Try exporting as UTF-8 if possible.
- For very large CSVs, convert one file at a time to avoid browser memory pressure.
Troubleshooting
- All data ended up in one column: Your CSV may use a different delimiter (like semicolons or tabs). Re-export with commas, or open in Excel and use its import settings.
- Accents or symbols look wrong: The CSV may not be UTF-8. Try re-exporting as UTF-8, then convert again.
- Leading zeros disappeared: Spreadsheets may interpret values as numbers. Format the column as text in Excel after conversion.
- The converter is slow or the tab freezes: Very large CSVs can hit memory limits. Convert one file at a time and close other heavy tabs.
- Some rows look misaligned: Inconsistent quoting or extra delimiters inside fields can confuse CSV parsing. Fix the CSV export or clean the file and convert again.
Frequently asked questions
No. CSV to Excel conversion runs locally in your browser. Your CSV is never uploaded to FileYoga servers, and the .xlsx output is generated on your device.
It creates a real Excel workbook. Your CSV is parsed and written into a true .xlsx spreadsheet file — it is not just renamed.
This almost always means the delimiter in your file doesn’t match what was expected. For example, many exports use semicolons instead of commas. Re-export the CSV with commas if you can, or open the CSV in Excel and use its import settings to select the correct delimiter.
Standard comma-separated CSV works best. Many semicolon- or tab-separated files also convert, but if columns don’t split correctly (or everything lands in one column), the delimiter in the file likely doesn’t match the parser’s expectations.
Usually, yes — as long as the file uses standard CSV quoting (RFC4180 style). Commas inside quoted fields (like “Toronto, ON”) should stay inside the same cell, and line breaks inside a cell can work when they are properly quoted. If quoting is inconsistent, rows may shift or split. In that case, re-export the CSV with proper quoting and try again.
That’s usually an encoding mismatch. For best results, export your CSV as UTF-8. If you see “mojibake” (garbled text like “José” instead of “José”), the CSV was likely saved or read using the wrong encoding. Re-export as UTF-8 (UTF-8 with BOM can also help some tools) and convert again.
CSV values can be interpreted by spreadsheet apps as numbers or dates. That can remove leading zeros, turn long numbers into scientific notation, or auto-convert date-like strings. If you need exact preservation for IDs, ZIP/postal codes, and long numbers, format the relevant columns as Text in Excel after conversion.
There are no artificial limits. Very large CSV files can hit browser memory limits or slow your device. If that happens, convert one file at a time and close other heavy tabs.
Convert one file at a time, close other heavy tabs, and try a different browser if needed. If the CSV is extremely large, splitting it into smaller files can be the most reliable approach. Freezing usually means the browser ran out of memory while parsing.
Yes. The generated .xlsx files can be opened in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice, and other compatible spreadsheet apps.