What is a CSV file?

CSV stands for comma-separated values. A CSV file stores a table as plain text: each record is a row, and a delimiter separates its values. The first record often contains column names.

For example, this CSV has two columns and two contact rows:

1name,email
2Alex,alex@example.com
3Sam,sam@example.com

A value containing a comma, a double quote, or a line break belongs inside double quotes in comma-separated CSV. A double quote inside that value is written twice. For example, "Paris, France" is one value, despite the comma inside it.

A quoted value can also span several physical lines. Those lines still belong to one row. Use a CSV reader to count or split records; splitting the text at every line break can cut a row in half.

CSV files let you move data between spreadsheets, databases, and other applications. For example, export an Apple Numbers table as CSV when another application cannot read the Numbers document. See common uses for CSV files if you want examples of when to export one.

Despite the name, a CSV file may use a semicolon or another delimiter instead of a comma. Import tools may also ask you to choose the file's encoding. Check both settings if columns or characters look wrong when you open a file.

You can inspect and edit a CSV file with an online CSV editor.

If your source is a delimited .txt export, convert the TXT file to CSV after checking its separator and column types. Renaming a file does not change its contents.