Convert Semicolons to Commas
Semicolon-separated in, comma-separated out. This is the fix for CSV files exported in a European locale.
Examples
| Input | Output | |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | apple;banana;cherry |
apple, banana, cherry |
| Realistic | Artikel;Preis;Menge |
Artikel, Preis, Menge |
Why convert this way
In locales where the comma is the decimal separator, CSV uses semicolons instead. A German or French Excel writes 1,50;2,75 — using a comma as a field separator there would be ambiguous. Open that file on an English system and every row lands in one column.
When you will need it
- A CSV from a European colleague opens as a single column
- Exports from German, French, Spanish or Dutch Excel
- Importing into a US or UK system that assumes commas
- Normalising files from multiple regional offices
1,50, converting semicolons to commas turns one price into two fields. Replace the decimal commas with points first using find and replace.
What the settings do here
- Split on semicolon — the tool reads
apple;banana;cherryas 3 separate items. - Join with ,
— producing
apple, banana, cherry.
Where this comes up
The classic symptom is a colleague saying the file “opens wrong” on their machine but fine on yours. Neither of you has done anything unusual; your two spreadsheets simply disagree about what CSV means.
Related conversions
Still deciding which format you want? The comma vs semicolon comparison sets out the trade-offs side by side.
Going the other way, or joining with something else entirely? The delimiter converter accepts any split and join pair including custom separators, and the index has the 16 ready-made ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my CSV file use semicolons instead of commas?
In locales where the comma is the decimal separator, such as Germany, France and Spain, spreadsheets export CSV using semicolons so that numbers like 1,50 stay unambiguous.
Why does my European CSV open as a single column?
The spreadsheet expects commas and the file uses semicolons, so it finds no field boundaries. Converting the separator fixes it in one pass.