Import the contents of a CSV file into Excel. How to open CSV file in Excel

CSV is a designation for a text document format that is used to display tabular data. Files with this extension are used to exchange certain information between computer programs. In order to view or edit a CSV file, not every utility is suitable. The usual double click most often leads to incorrect display of data. To get accurate data and the ability to make changes, you can use Excel.

Ways to open CSV files in Excel

Before trying to open documents with such an extension, you need to understand what they are. Comma-Separated Values ​​(CSV) – from English “comma-separated values”. The document itself uses two types of separators, depending on the language version of the program:

1. For the language – a semicolon.
2. For the English version – a comma.

When saving CSV files, a certain encoding is applied, due to which, during their opening, there may be problems associated with incorrect display of information. Opening a document with Excel with a standard double click, it will select an arbitrary encoding for decryption. If it does not match the one that encrypted the information in the file, the data will be displayed in illegible characters. Another possible problem is delimiter mismatch, for example, if the file is saved in the English version of the program, but opened in , or vice versa.

To avoid these problems, you need to know how to properly open CSV files with Excel. There are three methods that need to be considered in more detail.

Using the Text Wizard

Excel has many integrated tools, one of which is the Text Wizard. It can be used to open CSV files. Procedure:

1. You need to open the program. Execute the function of creating a new sheet.
2. Go to the “Data” tab.
3. Click on the “Get external data” button. Among the available options, select “From text”.
4. Through the window that opens, you need to find the required file, click on the “Import” button.
5. A new window will open with the Text Wizard setting. On the data format editing tab, check the box next to “Delimited”. You need to choose the format itself depending on what encoding was used when encoding the document. The most popular formats are Unicode, Cyrillic.
6. Before clicking the “Next” button, at the bottom of the page, you can perform a preview to determine how accurately the format was chosen, how the data is displayed.
7. After checking and clicking the “Next” button, a page will open on which you need to set the separator type (commas or semicolons). Click the “Next” button again.
8. In the window that appears, you need to select the method of importing information, click “OK”.

Important! This method of opening a CSV file allows you to save the width of individual columns, depending on what information they are filled with.

By double-clicking or selecting an application from a computer

The easiest ways to open CSV files. They are suitable for use only if all actions with the document (creation, saving, opening) are carried out by the same version of the program. If Excel was originally installed as a program that will open all files of this format, just double-click on the document. If the program is not assigned by default, you need to perform several actions:

1. Right-click on the document and select “Open With” from the menu that appears.
2. The standard selection will be presented. If there is no suitable utility, you will have to find Excel in the “Choose another application” tab.

Correct display of data is possible only with the ratio of encodings, program versions.

Not always to be found Excel in the “Choose another application” tab. In this case, you must click on the “Look for another application on this computer” button. After that, you need to find the required program by its location, click the “OK” button.

File menu

Another effective way to open CSV files. Procedure:

1. Open Excel.
2. Click on the “Open” button.
3. Activate the explorer through the “Browse” function.
4. Select “All files” format.
5. Click the “Open” button.

Immediately after that, the “Text Import Wizard” will open. It must be configured as described earlier.

Conclusion

No matter how complex the format of CSV files is, with the right encoding and program version, they can be opened with Excel. If, after opening with a double click, a window appears with a lot of unreadable characters, it is recommended to use the Text Wizard.