Changing Delimiter in Excel for CSV Files

Adjusting List Separator in Windows Regional Settings

To change the delimiter globally for CSV files in Excel, modify the List separator in Windows Regional settings. Access this setting via Control Panel > Region settings, ensuring it differs from the Decimal symbol to prevent conflicts.

Changing Delimiter When Saving CSV in Excel

Alter the CSV delimiter by changing the default List separator before saving the file. This adjustment affects all programs that use the List separator setting.

Specifying Delimiters for Individual CSV Files

Indicate the desired delimiter directly within a specific CSV file. This practice overrides the default List separator for that file alone.

Using Excel's Text Import Wizard

For Excel versions prior to 2016, use the Text Import Wizard to set a custom delimiter when importing a CSV file. In Excel 2016, enable the From Text (Legacy) feature to access this tool.

Employing Power Query for Delimiter Selection

Power Query provides a delimiter choice when connecting to a CSV file. This feature is especially useful for managing data imports without altering global settings.

Manual Delimiter Replacement

If Excel 365 fails to save CSV files correctly with comma delimiters, manually replace commas with semicolons using a text editor. Ensure all dots used as decimal symbols are also replaced accordingly.

Common Use Cases

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  Importing CSV files with non-standard delimiters into Excel
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  Exporting Excel data to a CSV file with a custom delimiter for specific software requirements
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  Converting CSV data with complex fields that include commas into Excel without disrupting the data structure
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  Facilitating data exchange between systems that use different delimiter standards
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  Improving data readability by using a delimiter that separates data more clearly in Excel

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