Options
Paste pipe-delimited data on the left and standard comma-separated CSV appears on the right as you type. The converter reads quoted fields the way spreadsheet software does, so a pipe inside quotes stays part of the value, and commas, quotes, and line breaks in your data are quoted correctly in the output. It also cleans up output copied from psql, MySQL, and Markdown tables, warns you about rows with the wrong number of fields, and converts in the other direction too: comma to pipe, tab, or semicolon. Nothing is uploaded.
How to convert a pipe-delimited file to CSV
- Paste your data into the left pane, or click Open file to load a .txt, .psv, .dat, or .csv file. You can also drag a file onto the pane.
- Check the From and To delimiters. From is set to pipe, and Auto-detect works for pipe, comma, tab, and semicolon files.
- Switch to Table to check that the columns line up. Rows with too many or too few fields are highlighted and listed under the panes.
- Click Copy, or Download to save a .csv file that opens correctly in Excel.
What the converter handles
| Input (pipe) | Output (comma CSV) |
|---|---|
1|Ann|Paris | 1,Ann,Paris |
2|Smith & Sons, LLC|NYC | 2,"Smith & Sons, LLC",NYC. The comma in the value is quoted |
3|12" wrench|x | 3,"12"" wrench",x. A stray inch mark is kept as text |
4|"a | b"|x | 4,a | b,x. The pipe inside quotes stays in the value |
5|"say ""hi"""|x | 5,"say ""hi""",x |
00501|Holtsville | 00501,Holtsville. Leading zeros are kept in the file |
| id | name | and ----+----- | id,name. Table borders and separator lines are removed |
Why some systems use pipes instead of commas
Commas show up all the time in real data: company names, addresses, numbers like 1,250, and free-text notes. A pipe almost never does, so many databases, ERP and CRM systems, healthcare and insurance feeds, and mainframe exports use | as the delimiter to avoid quoting. Those files are often saved with a .txt, .dat, or .psv extension. Excel, Google Sheets, and most import tools expect commas, which is why converting is so common.
A simple find-and-replace of | with , breaks the file as soon as any value contains a comma, because that value then splits into two columns. This converter parses each field first and adds quotes wherever the new delimiter, a quote, or a line break appears, following the CSV standard (RFC 4180).
Options explained
Treat quotes as normal text. Some legacy pipe files don't use quotes for quoting at all, and a field that starts with " is just text. Turn this on if values are being joined across columns. The converter also switches to this automatically, with a warning, when a quote is never closed.
Remove table borders. Strips the ----+---- and +----+ lines and the (3 rows) footer from psql and MySQL output, the |---| row from Markdown tables, and the pipes at the start and end of each line.
Fill short rows. Adds empty fields to rows that have fewer values than the longest row, so every row has the same number of columns. Some import tools require this.
Excel-friendly download. Adds a UTF-8 byte order mark to the downloaded file, which tells Excel to read accented letters and symbols correctly instead of showing characters like é. Leave it off if the file is going to a script or database that doesn't expect one.
Excel still removes leading zeros from values like ZIP codes and account numbers when you double-click a CSV to open it. To keep them, use Data > From Text/CSV in Excel and set that column to Text.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a pipe-delimited text file to CSV?
Open the .txt or .psv file with Open file, or paste its contents. With From set to pipe and To set to comma, the CSV appears immediately. Click Download to save it as a .csv file.
What if my data contains commas?
Values that contain commas are wrapped in double quotes in the output, which is how CSV keeps them in one column. Excel, Google Sheets, and database import tools all read this correctly.
Can I convert CSV back to pipe-delimited?
Yes. Click the swap button between From and To, or set From to comma and To to pipe. Tab and semicolon are also available in both directions.
Why does a row have the wrong number of columns?
Usually a value contains an extra pipe, or a line break inside a value split one record across two lines. The row is listed under the panes and highlighted in the Table view. Click the warning to jump to that line in your input.
How big a file can it convert?
Files up to about 100 MB, limited by your browser's memory. A few hundred thousand rows convert in well under a second. Files over 4 MB convert when you click Convert instead of as you type.
Is my file uploaded?
No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser and your data never leaves your device.