CSV to Delimited Text Converter
Export a CSV as comma-, tab-, pipe-, semicolon-, space- or fixed-width text. Choose the exact delimiter and quoting your target system needs, preview the result, and download in one click.
A live table preview of your data appears here.
Pick your separator in the Output as menu — this page starts on a custom delimiter so you control it.
Turn CSV into the delimited format you need
Not every system reads comma CSV. Databases, ETL tools and older software often expect tab-delimited, pipe-delimited or fixed-width text instead. This converter rewrites your CSV into whichever delimited format the destination requires.
Paste or upload the CSV, choose the output separator (or type a custom one), and the tool re-serializes the data with correct quoting. The live preview confirms the columns line up before you export, and everything runs locally so your data stays private.
For a specific target, jump straight to comma, tab, pipe or fixed-width output.
How to use it
Paste or upload
Add your text or drop a file — it is read locally in your browser, never uploaded.
Preview & adjust
Check the live table and the row / column counts, then tweak the delimiter or options if a column looks off.
Copy or download
Grab the result with Copy or Download. You can reopen recent conversions from this device too.
Input and output example
The same CSV exported with a semicolon delimiter; switch to tab, pipe or fixed width anytime.
id,name,city
1,Ada,NY
2,Lin,LAid;name;city
1;Ada;NY
2;Lin;LAWhich delimiter should you use?
Each separator suits different tools — here is a quick guide.
Comma and semicolon
Comma is the universal default. Semicolon is common in regions where the comma is a decimal mark, and many European Excel installations import semicolon files more cleanly. Choose semicolon if commas appear inside your values and you want to avoid quoting.
Tab (TSV) and pipe
Tab-separated text is the safest when fields contain punctuation, because tabs rarely appear inside data. Pipe (|) is a long-time favorite for database loads and system-to-system feeds for the same reason.
Quoting rules
With When needed quoting, a field is wrapped in quotes only if it contains the delimiter, a quote or a line break. Use Quote all for strict importers, or No quotes when you have guaranteed the delimiter never appears in your data.
Fixed-width output
Choose Fixed width and each column is padded to its widest value, producing aligned text for mainframe and report formats. Pair it with a monospaced viewer to check alignment.
Line endings and encoding
Switch between LF (Unix) and CRLF (Windows) endings to match the receiving system, and enable UTF-8 BOM when the file will be opened in Excel.
Tips and edge cases
- Not sure what the other system wants? Tab or pipe are the safest general-purpose choices.
- Keep Quote all on for strict parsers; it never hurts correctness, only file size.
- For the reverse job — delimited text into CSV — use delimited text to CSV.
CSV to Delimited Text Converter — FAQ
Which delimiter is best for Excel?
Comma CSV works everywhere; semicolon can import more cleanly in comma-decimal locales. Enable UTF-8 BOM for correct encoding.
Which is best for databases or legacy systems?
Tab or pipe, because those characters rarely appear inside values, avoiding the need for quoting.
Can I use a custom delimiter?
Yes. Choose Custom delimiter and type any character, such as ;, ~ or a caret.
How do I keep quotes and commas inside fields?
Leave quoting on When needed or Quote all; values containing the delimiter or quotes are protected automatically.