How to open .CSV files on Windows
To open .CSV files on Windows, right-click the .CSV file and select 'Open with'.
Step-by-step instructions
- Right-click the .CSV file and select 'Open with'.
- Choose Microsoft Excel or another spreadsheet application.
Recommended software
- Microsoft 365
- LibreOffice
- Google Docs (web)
Alternative methods
- Open .CSV in a browser-based viewer if desktop apps fail.
- Try opening .CSV on Windows with a secondary app to rule out app-specific issues.
- Convert .CSV only with trusted tools when direct opening is not possible.
Common issues
File opens with incorrect formatting
The .CSV file may not display correctly if the delimiter used in the file does not match the expected delimiter in the application.
- Check the delimiter used in the .CSV file (commas, semicolons, etc.).
- Configure the application to use the correct delimiter when opening the file.
Special characters not displaying correctly
Non-standard characters may not render properly if the file's encoding is not supported by the application.
- Ensure the file is saved with UTF-8 encoding.
- Open the file in a text editor and re-save it with the correct encoding if necessary.
Security note
Open .CSV files only from trusted sources to avoid malicious data.