XLS to CSV Converter

Convert Excel XLS and XLSX spreadsheets to CSV. Multi-sheet workbooks: convert first sheet or all sheets as separate CSVs in a ZIP. Custom delimiters.

Drop XLS files here

or click to select · up to 20 files · max 50 MB each

xlsxlsx

Files never leave your device — processed locally in your browser

lock100% PrivateboltInstantcloud_offNo Uploadall_inclusiveUnlimited Files

What it does

XLS and XLSX support

Handles both legacy XLS (Excel 97–2003) and modern XLSX (Excel 2007+) formats using SheetJS.

Multi-sheet handling

For workbooks with multiple sheets, choose to export the first sheet only, or all sheets as separate CSVs bundled in a ZIP.

Custom delimiters

Output with comma (,), semicolon (;), tab ( ), or pipe (|) as the field separator.

Date formatting

Excel dates can be exported as ISO 8601 (2024-01-15), MM/DD/YYYY, or DD/MM/YYYY.

Encoding options

Output UTF-8 or UTF-8 with BOM (required for Excel to open CSV correctly with special characters).

Batch processing

Convert multiple Excel files at once.

How to use XLS to CSV Converter

  1. 1
    Upload Excel file

    Drop a .xls or .xlsx file onto the drop zone.

  2. 2
    Configure options

    Choose delimiter, date format, encoding, and how to handle multi-sheet workbooks.

  3. 3
    Convert and download

    Click "Convert to CSV". Single sheet: download .csv. Multiple sheets: download individual CSVs or a ZIP.

When to use this

Importing data into databases

Most databases and data tools accept CSV. Convert your Excel spreadsheet to CSV for PostgreSQL COPY, MySQL LOAD DATA, or Pandas read_csv.

Feeding data into Python or R

Python's pandas and R's read.csv both natively read CSV. Export Excel data to CSV for seamless data analysis scripting.

Legacy system integration

Many enterprise systems have CSV import. Convert Excel reports to CSV for automated ingestion.

Common errors & fixes

Special characters garbled in Excel
Enable "UTF-8 with BOM" encoding. Excel requires the BOM marker to correctly interpret UTF-8 CSV files.
Dates appear as numbers
Excel stores dates as serial numbers. The converter handles date detection automatically — if dates appear wrong, select a specific date format from the options.
Formulas appear as formula text
The converter exports computed values, not formula expressions. If you see formula text, the Excel file may have unresolved formula errors (like #REF!).

Technical details

Input formatXLS (Excel 97–2003), XLSX (Excel 2007+)
Output formatCSV (RFC 4180)
LibrarySheetJS (xlsx)
Multi-sheet supportFirst sheet only or all sheets as separate CSVs
Processing locationBrowser (client-side only)

What is XLS/XLSX?

XLS is the legacy Microsoft Excel binary format (Excel 97–2003). XLSX is the modern XML-based format (Excel 2007+) stored as a ZIP archive. Both store tabular data with formulas, charts, formatting, multiple sheets, and rich styling. They are the dominant spreadsheet formats in business workflows.

What is CSV?

CSV (Comma-Separated Values) is the simplest tabular data format. Each line is a row, fields are separated by a delimiter (comma by default), and the first row is typically a header. CSV has no formulas, no formatting, no multiple sheets — just raw data. This simplicity makes it universally supported by databases, programming languages, and data tools.

XLS vs CSV: When to use each

Use XLS/XLSX when you need formulas, charts, pivot tables, formatted reports, or multiple sheets. Use CSV when you need to transfer raw data to a database, programming tool, or another application.

CSV is the lingua franca of data — every data tool from SQLite to Apache Spark can read CSV without special libraries or plugins. Converting XLS to CSV removes all the spreadsheet-specific complexity and leaves clean, portable data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an XLS file?

XLS is the legacy Microsoft Excel format (Excel 97–2003). It stores spreadsheet data including multiple sheets, formulas, and formatting in a binary format.

How do I convert XLS to CSV?

Upload your .xls or .xlsx file, choose delimiter and multi-sheet settings, and click "Convert to CSV".

Is this XLS to CSV converter free?

Yes, completely free.

Does the converter upload my files?

No — SheetJS parses the file entirely in your browser.

How are multiple sheets handled?

You can export the first sheet only (single CSV) or all sheets as separate CSV files bundled in a ZIP.

Are formulas converted?

Yes — the converter exports computed values, not formula expressions.

How are dates handled?

Excel dates are converted to the format you select: ISO 8601, MM/DD/YYYY, or DD/MM/YYYY.

Does it work on mobile?

Yes.

Related Tools

table_chart

CSV to XLSX Converter

Convert CSV files to Excel XLSX format. Auto-detect delimiters, infer column types, add header formatting. Batch support. Free, browser-based, no upload.

code

CSV to XML Converter

Convert CSV files to XML with configurable element names, attribute mode, pretty-print, and XML declaration. Ideal for data integration and API workflows. Free, no upload.

code

XML to CSV Converter

Flatten XML data into CSV rows. Auto-detect row elements, handle nested fields with dot notation. Preview detected structure before conversion. Free, browser-based.

table_convert

JSON ↔ CSV Converter

Convert JSON arrays to CSV and CSV back to JSON. Custom delimiter, header row control, and one-click download.

code

JSON Formatter

Clean, minify, and validate JSON data structures.