📊 CSV to Text
Paste CSV data and convert it to a plain text table, markdown table, JSON array or single-column list instantly. Free, private, no signup.
About CSV to Text
CSV (Comma-Separated Values) is a simple file format used by spreadsheets and databases, but it is hard to read as raw text. This tool parses your CSV and reformats the data into a human-readable or developer-friendly structure — all inside your browser, with nothing sent to any server.
Output Formats Explained
- Text Table — draws a bordered ASCII table with columns aligned by the widest value in each column. Great for pasting into emails, README files or terminal output.
- Markdown Table — produces a pipe-delimited table that renders in GitHub, GitLab, Notion, Obsidian and any other markdown renderer.
- JSON Array — converts each CSV row into a JSON object using the first row as keys. Useful for developers who need to feed the data into code or an API.
- Column List — strips the CSV down to just the first column (or header column), outputting one value per line. Perfect for extracting a list of names, IDs or email addresses from a spreadsheet export.
Delimiter Options
Not all "CSV" files use commas. European spreadsheets often use semicolons, database exports use tabs, and some log formats use pipes. Select the correct delimiter before converting to ensure the columns are split correctly.
Common Uses
- Turning a spreadsheet export into a readable text table for a report or email
- Converting CSV data to Markdown for GitHub wikis or documentation
- Transforming CSV rows into JSON for use in JavaScript, Python or an API request
- Extracting a single column (such as email addresses or product names) from a large CSV file
- Quickly inspecting CSV data without opening a spreadsheet application
Frequently Asked Questions
What output formats are available?
+Four formats: Plain Text Table (ASCII-bordered, aligned columns), Markdown Table (pipe-delimited, renders in GitHub and Notion), JSON Array (each row becomes an object), and Column List (extracts the first column, one value per line).
What delimiters are supported?
+Comma, semicolon, tab and pipe. Select the one matching your file in the delimiter dropdown before clicking Convert CSV.
Does it handle quoted fields with commas inside?
+Yes. Fields wrapped in double quotes are parsed correctly even if they contain commas, line breaks or quote characters inside. The tool follows standard CSV quoting rules (RFC 4180).
What does "First Row = Header" do?
+When enabled, the first row of your CSV is treated as column headers. In Text Table and Markdown Table formats a separator line is drawn below the headers. In JSON Array format the header values become the object keys. Disable it if your CSV has no header row and every row is data.