CSV import doctor — find why your file will not import
Your app rejects a CSV, puts everything in one column, or says a column is missing. Check how the file is being read, find the rows that need attention, and review any changes before downloading a new copy.
Runs in your browser — your input is not uploaded to ToolsNow.
Start with the CSV that failed to import and the app’s error message, if you have one. CSV is a text table; export an Excel workbook as CSV before opening it here. Files can be up to 2 MB.
Start with the file that will not import
Open the original CSV or paste its contents. If the app showed an error, add it below. Keep the original file; any download here is a separate copy.
CSV, TSV or plain text · up to 2 MB · not an Excel workbook
You can correct the original text here and check it again. Nothing is edited on your device’s original file.
Paste the message from your spreadsheet or app. It helps explain the findings, but it cannot reveal settings the app has not shown.
A separator is the character between cells, such as a comma.
Match the app’s requirements
Only choose this if you know the app’s setting.
One name per line, in the order the app asks for. Spelling and spaces are compared as written.
Names or accents look wrong?
Choose another text format. The opened file, or the last file that could not be read, will be read again automatically. For older files, Windows text is worth trying. Pasted text is not changed.
Up to 20,000 rows, 200 columns and 100,000 cells, including the column names. Pasted text is limited to 2 million characters. If a limit is reached, no partial download is offered.
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How to use
- Add the file that failed. Paste the text into Your CSV or open a CSV file. If the app gave you a message, paste it into Error message (optional) so you can compare it with the checks.
- Match the import settings. Check Columns separated by: the tool can guess, but confirm whether the file uses commas, semicolons, tabs or pipes. Set The first row contains column names to match the file. Add any Required column names (optional), one per line, and set Separator used by the app if you know it. Choose Check my CSV.
- Review the rows and make deliberate changes. Follow the reported lines and check that rows have the same number of cells. Edit table cells or fill missing cells yourself; fix broken quotes in Your CSV and check again. Compare before and after, including reference numbers, leading zeros and anything that could be read as a formula.
- Download the reviewed copy. Choose the separator your app needs and select Prepare download. Check the table and changes, tick I have reviewed the table and changes, then use Download CSV. Download check notes keeps a separate record; changed cell values are left out unless you choose to include them. Try the new file in the app and check its import preview.
A semicolon file that opens as one column
Suppose this fictional contact list opens as one column in an app that expects commas:
name;email
Ada;[email protected]
Sam;[email protected]Set Columns separated by to semicolon and turn on The first row contains column names. Choose Check my CSV: you should see two columns, name and email, and two contact rows. If Separator used by the app is comma, that mismatch explains the one-column result.
Try selecting semicolon in the app’s import settings. If the app only accepts commas, choose comma for the downloaded CSV, select Prepare download, review the table, and download that copy instead. The names and email addresses do not need changing. Check the app’s preview before finishing the import.
Prefer to open a sample file? Try the made-up semicolon list, list with a missing cell, or list with repeated column names.
Need JSON records from a table, or a CSV from JSON? Use the JSON ↔ CSV converter.
Questions
Why does my CSV appear as one column?
The file and the app may be using different separators. For example, name;email has two cells when read with a semicolon, but one when read with a comma. Confirm Columns separated by against the file, then compare Separator used by the app. You may only need to change the app’s import setting, rather than edit the data.
What should I check for a missing column or an uneven row?
If the first row holds the names, turn on The first row contains column names. Put the names the app asks for in Required column names (optional), one per line, and compare their spelling with the header. Rows should have the same number of cells. A stray comma or a missing quote can split a value into extra cells; a short row may need a value you supply yourself. The tool cannot know what a missing value should be.
Can this repair broken quotes or line breaks automatically?
It points to problems but does not guess how to repair arbitrary broken quotes. Correct those in Your CSV, then choose Check my CSV again. Inside a quoted cell, a quote is written twice, as in "He said ""hello""". A quoted cell can also contain a line break, so a table row can span several source lines. The reported source line refers to the text you supplied, not necessarily the same numbered table row.
Will IDs keep their leading zeros, and what about formulas?
Cells stay text here, so an ID such as 0042 keeps its zeros unless you edit it. The tool flags values that a spreadsheet could treat as formulas; a flag does not tell you whether the value was intentional. Review those cells before exporting. The receiving app may still turn IDs into numbers, dates or formulas, so use its text-column settings and inspect its preview.
Does a checked download mean the app will accept it?
No. The export check reads the new CSV back and compares its cells with the reviewed table. It checks that the export preserved those cells; it does not check the app’s own rules for dates, allowed values, duplicate records or required information. Keep the original and try the downloaded copy with the app’s import preview.
Which files can I open, and what changes when I download?
CSV is a text table, not an Excel workbook. Files can be up to 2 MB, with up to 2 million characters, 20,000 rows, 200 columns and 100,000 cells including the column names. Most recent files use UTF-8 text. Marked UTF-16 files also open automatically. If accents look wrong in an older file, try Windows text under Names or accents look wrong? The new CSV uses UTF-8 and a new line between rows. Line breaks inside unedited cells are kept; editing a multiline cell or Your CSV can change them. Your original file is untouched.
Is my file uploaded, and do the check notes contain my data?
The CSV, pasted error message and cell edits are processed in your browser. They are not uploaded or stored by page analytics. Download check notes leaves out cell values unless you explicitly tick the option to include them. If you include values, review the notes before sharing them, just as you would the CSV itself.
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