TSV to CSV Converter
Convert tab-separated values to comma-separated values instantly. Paste text or upload a file.
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What is TSV to CSV?
TSV (Tab-Separated Values) uses tab characters as delimiters — common in scientific data, database exports, and Excel "Save As → Text (Tab delimited)". CSV (Comma-Separated Values, RFC 4180) is more universal — supported by every data tool, programming language, and import wizard.
Common scenarios: copy-paste from Excel (paste produces tab-separated by default — convert for tools that need CSV), scientific data conversion (bioinformatics formats often use TSV), database exports (PostgreSQL COPY ... TO STDOUT outputs tabs by default), preparing for import wizards that prefer CSV.
TSV vs CSV
- TSV advantages: tabs rarely appear in data (cleaner separation than commas); no need to quote fields with commas
- CSV advantages: more widely supported; smaller files (tabs are 1 byte but commas are too)
- Both: line-based; first row often has headers; same import wizards usually support both
- Excel quirk: pasting cells into a text field produces TSV. Saving as CSV in Excel produces actual CSV with proper escaping
- Browser quirk: dragging/dropping spreadsheet cells into web forms often pastes TSV
Conversion example
# TSV input (tabs shown as ⇥) name⇥age⇥city Alice⇥30⇥Seoul, Korea Bob⇥25⇥Tokyo # CSV output (commas in city wrapped in quotes per RFC 4180) name,age,city Alice,30,"Seoul, Korea" Bob,25,Tokyo
How to Use
- Paste TSV data, or upload a
.tsv/.txtfile. - Click Convert.
- Review CSV — fields with embedded commas are auto-quoted.
- Copy or download as
.csv.
FAQ
What if my data contains commas?
Fields containing commas are automatically wrapped in double quotes per CSV standard (RFC 4180). Embedded quotes are escaped as "". Data integrity is preserved.
Can I paste from Excel?
Yes — when you copy cells from Excel or Google Sheets, the clipboard data is tab-separated by default. Just paste directly into the input.
What about Asian language characters?
Korean / Chinese / Japanese characters pass through correctly via UTF-8. Save the resulting CSV as UTF-8 (with or without BOM) to ensure Excel reads it correctly.
Why does Excel open my CSV with garbled characters?
Excel auto-detects encoding poorly. After saving the CSV, open Excel → Data → From Text/CSV → choose UTF-8. Or use the BOM option (some download tools include this).
Can I use a different delimiter (semicolon, pipe)?
This tool outputs comma-delimited only (the standard CSV). For semicolons (Excel European locale) or pipes (engineering data), use desktop tools like csvkit or programming language libraries.
⚠️ Reference Only
Output is generated based on your input and is provided for reference. Results may vary depending on your specific use case, edge cases, or environment-specific behavior. We do not guarantee accuracy of conversions, validations, or computed values.
Always verify critical outputs against official documentation or production environments. We are not responsible for any decisions or losses based on these tool results.