Documents conversion
Convert XLS to CSV
XLS is an older spreadsheet file format, and CSV is plain text with one value per line, separated by commas. To convert XLS to CSV, open the file in a converter and export the sheet you need as CSV. Doing it on your own computer means the spreadsheet, and anything in it, never gets uploaded anywhere.
All 2,748 conversions verified on macOS, Windows, and Linux against the shipping release, this one included. Every conversion runs entirely on your own computer.
- Extension
- .xls
- Type
- Documents
- Typically
- Old Excel files
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
- Extension
- .csv
- Type
- Documents
- Typically
- Data, spreadsheets
Convert XLS to CSV on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
One-time purchase, no subscription. 14 days to change your mind.
How to convert XLS to CSV
- Open Morphjet and drag in the XLS file you want to convert. Add one spreadsheet or a whole folder at once.
- Choose CSV as the output format.
- If the spreadsheet has more than one sheet, pick the one you want exported, since CSV can only hold one.
- Convert. The CSV is written next to your original XLS, and nothing leaves your machine.
XLS vs CSV: what actually changes
| XLS | CSV | |
|---|---|---|
| Opens everywhere | Needs a spreadsheet app that can open the format | Yes, opens in any text editor, spreadsheet app, or database tool |
| File size | Larger, binary format with formatting baked in | Smaller, plain text |
| Multiple sheets | Yes, one file can hold several sheets | No, one sheet per file |
| Formulas and formatting | Keeps formulas, cell colors, and fonts | Keeps only the calculated values, no formulas or formatting |
| Keeps author and edit metadata | Yes | No, plain text has no metadata field |
| Readable by scripts and databases | Needs a library to parse | Yes, universally parseable |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert XLS to CSV when you need to import the data into a database, another program, or a script that expects plain comma-separated values, or when you just want the raw data without formulas or formatting attached.
Keep the XLS if you need the formulas, multiple sheets, or formatting to stay intact, since CSV only stores the plain values from a single sheet.
Why not just use an online converter?
Old spreadsheet files can carry metadata baked in by whoever built them, like the author's name, the company it was saved under, and edit history. When you convert XLS to CSV through an online tool, that file, and whatever's recorded in it, gets uploaded to a stranger's server. Converting on your own computer means the spreadsheet and its data never leave your machine.
Questions
Does converting XLS to CSV lose anything?
Yes, formulas, formatting, cell colors, and any sheets beyond the one you export are not carried over, since CSV only stores plain values in a single sheet. The underlying data itself converts without loss.
Can I convert a multi-sheet XLS file to CSV?
Only one sheet at a time. CSV doesn't support multiple sheets, so you'll need to export each sheet you want as its own CSV file.
Will the CSV keep the author or metadata from the XLS?
No. CSV is plain text, so any metadata stored in the XLS, like the author's name or edit history, does not carry over.
Can I convert XLS to CSV without uploading it?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so the spreadsheet never travels over the internet.
Why convert XLS to CSV instead of just using the spreadsheet as is?
Older tools, scripts, and databases are often built to expect plain CSV rather than any spreadsheet format, so it's a common step when you need to move data somewhere else.
Morphjet runs this conversion and 2,747 others, all on your machine. Available now.
One-time purchase, no subscription. 14 days to change your mind.