Databases, import tools and scripts almost always want CSV, not a workbook. ConvertCove reads your XLSX, XLS or ODS file with SheetJS right in the browser and saves clean CSV, one file per sheet if you need them all.
How to convert XLSX to CSV
- Click Select XLSX files or drag them onto the box above. You can add as many as you like.
- Check that the target says CSV. Click the slider icon next to a file to change its options.
- Press Convert. Each file shows its own progress, and the work happens on your device.
- Download files one by one, or use Download all (ZIP). Press Convert more to start a new batch.
Hidden rows and columns are still exported, because CSV has no concept of hiding. Delete them in Excel first if they should not be included.
XLSX vs CSV
What is XLSX?
XLSX is the Office Open XML workbook format used by Excel since 2007: a ZIP of XML parts holding sheets, formulas, styles and charts. ConvertCove also reads legacy .xls files and LibreOffice .ods spreadsheets. More about the XLSX format.
What is CSV?
CSV keeps only the values, without formatting, formulas or multiple sheets, which is exactly what most importers expect. More about the CSV format.
| XLSX | CSV | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Excel Workbook | Comma-Separated Values |
| Extensions | .xlsx, .xls, .ods | .csv, .tsv, .txt |
| MIME type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet | text/csv |
When to convert XLSX to CSV
- You are importing a product list, contacts or transactions into another system.
- A script or data pipeline reads CSV only.
- You want to version-control spreadsheet data in Git, where plain text diffs well.
- You need each sheet of a workbook as a separate file.
Quality and settings
Formulas are exported as their last calculated values, exactly as Excel shows them. Dates are written as dates rather than serial numbers. Formatting, colours, comments and charts are not part of CSV and are dropped. By default only the first sheet is exported; choose “All sheets” in the options to get one CSV per sheet, named after the sheet. Pick a semicolon or tab delimiter if your target system needs it.