Guide
How to change CSV delimiters
Switch between commas, semicolons, tabs, and pipes without breaking your data.
Identify the current delimiter
Open the file in a plain text editor and look at the first few lines. The character that separates values is your delimiter. Common options are comma, semicolon, tab, and pipe.
- Commas are standard in US/UK systems
- Semicolons are common in European exports
- Tabs work well for data with commas in values
- Pipes are used in legacy mainframe systems
Why delimiters matter
Using the wrong delimiter causes columns to merge or split incorrectly. A file with semicolon delimiters opened as comma-separated will show all data in one column.
- Wrong delimiter = broken columns
- Embedded delimiters cause extra columns
- Consistent delimiters enable automation
Quick CTA
Auto-detect delimiters
Readable CSV automatically detects your file's delimiter. No configuration needed.
Try itConvert with find and replace
For simple conversions, use a text editor's find and replace. Change all semicolons to commas or vice versa. Be careful if your data contains the target character.
- Back up before replacing
- Check for the target character in your data
- Use quotes around fields with special characters
Handle edge cases
When your data contains the delimiter character, proper CSV formatting wraps those fields in quotes. Make sure your conversion tool respects quoted fields.
- Quoted fields preserve embedded delimiters
- Double quotes escape quotes inside fields
- Test with a few rows before converting the full file
Key takeaway
Match your delimiter to your data. When in doubt, use tabs—they rarely appear in real data.