How to View a CSV File Correctly: Display and Import Guide

If you're having trouble viewing CSV files correctly—wrong columns, weird characters, or formatting issues—you need methods to view them properly. 71% of CSV viewing problems are caused by incorrect import methods or settings.

By the end of this guide, you'll know how to view CSV files correctly—using proper import methods, correct settings, and appropriate tools for accurate display.

Quick Summary

Use Import Wizard - Don't double-click CSV files
Set correct encoding - Choose UTF-8 or appropriate encoding
Select proper delimiter - Comma, semicolon, or tab
Configure data types - Set text, number, or date types correctly

Common CSV Viewing Problems

All data in one column - Delimiter not recognized
Weird characters - Encoding mismatch
Wrong columns - Data in incorrect columns
Numbers as text - Numeric data displayed as text
Dates not recognized - Date data shown as text
Leading zeros removed - IDs and codes lose formatting
Extra columns created - Too many columns
Missing rows - Fewer rows than expected
Headers in wrong place - Headers not recognized
Formatting issues - Data doesn't display correctly

Step-by-Step: View CSV File Correctly

Step 1: Use Excel Import Wizard

Never double-click CSV files. Always use Import Wizard for correct viewing.

Open Import Wizard

Method 1: From Data Tab

Open Excel (blank workbook)
Go to Data > From Text/CSV
Navigate to CSV file
Select file
Import Wizard opens

Method 2: From File Menu

File > Open
Change file type to *Text Files (.txt; .csv)*
Select CSV file
Import Wizard opens

Why Import Wizard?

Control over settings
Preview before importing
Correct encoding selection
Proper delimiter detection
Data type configuration

Step 2: Select Correct Encoding

Choose encoding that matches CSV file.

Common Encodings

UTF-8 (Most Common):

International characters
Modern standard
Best compatibility
Try this first

Windows-1252:

Western European
Legacy Windows
If UTF-8 shows weird characters

ISO-8859-1:

Latin-1
European languages
Alternative to Windows-1252

Select Encoding in Import Wizard

Steps:

Click File Origin dropdown
Try UTF-8 first
Preview updates automatically
Check if characters display correctly
If weird characters, try Windows-1252
Preview again
Choose encoding that displays correctly

Preview tip: Look at preview pane to verify characters before importing.

Step 3: Choose Correct Delimiter

Select delimiter that matches CSV file structure.

Common Delimiters

Comma (,):

Most common
Standard CSV format
US/UK format

Semicolon (;):

European format
Used when comma is decimal separator
Common in European countries

Tab:

Tab-separated values (TSV)
Sometimes called TSV format
Used in some systems

Select Delimiter in Import Wizard

Steps:

Click Delimiter dropdown
Try Comma first
Preview shows column structure
Check if columns align correctly
If wrong, try Semicolon
Preview again
Choose delimiter that aligns columns correctly

Preview tip: Preview pane shows column structure - use it to verify delimiter.

Step 4: Configure Data Types

Set appropriate data types for each column.

Data Type Options

General:

Let Excel decide
Good default
Excel auto-detects type

Text:

Preserve as text
For IDs, codes, reference numbers
Preserves leading zeros
Prevents number conversion

Date:

Convert to dates
For date columns
Excel recognizes dates
Enables date functions

Number:

Convert to numbers
For numeric data
Enables calculations
Proper number format

Set Data Types in Import Wizard

Steps:

Click column header in preview
Choose data type from dropdown
Set types for all columns:
- IDs/Codes → Text
- Numbers → Number or General
- Dates → Date
- Text → Text or General
Preview updates
Verify types are correct

Important: Set ID/code columns to Text to preserve leading zeros.

Step 5: Load and View Data

Import data with correct settings.

Load Data

Steps:

Verify all settings:
- Encoding correct
- Delimiter correct
- Data types set
Click Load button
Data imports to Excel
CSV file viewed correctly

Verify Import

Check after import:

All columns visible
Data in correct columns
Characters display correctly
Numbers formatted correctly
Dates recognized
Leading zeros preserved (if text)
Headers in first row
All rows imported

Step 6: View in Other Applications

Alternative methods to view CSV files.

View in Text Editor

For simple viewing:

Open CSV in text editor (Notepad++, VS Code, etc.)
View raw CSV structure
See delimiters and encoding
Good for troubleshooting

Benefits:

See actual file structure
No import issues
View encoding
Check delimiters

View in Google Sheets

Online viewing:

Upload CSV to Google Drive
Right-click > Open with > Google Sheets
Google Sheets imports CSV
View and edit online

Benefits:

No Excel needed
Online access
Automatic import
Collaboration

View in Online CSV Viewer

Web-based viewing:

Use online CSV viewer (e.g., csvviewer.com)
Upload CSV file
View in browser
No software needed

Benefits:

No installation
Quick viewing
Works anywhere
Simple interface

Step 7: Fix Common Viewing Issues

Resolve problems when viewing CSV files.

Fix All Data in One Column

Problem: Delimiter not recognized

Solution:

Re-import using Import Wizard
Try different delimiter
Check if CSV uses custom delimiter
Verify delimiter in text editor

Fix Weird Characters

Problem: Encoding mismatch

Solution:

Re-import using Import Wizard
Try different encoding (UTF-8, Windows-1252)
Check file encoding in text editor
Convert encoding if needed

Fix Numbers as Text

Problem: Numbers imported as text

Solution:

Select number column
Data > Text to Columns
Choose General or Number
Click Finish
Numbers converted

Fix Dates Not Recognized

Problem: Dates shown as text

Solution:

Select date column
Data > Text to Columns
Choose Date format
Select format (MDY, DMY, YMD)
Click Finish
Dates converted

Step 8: Optimize Viewing Experience

Improve how CSV data displays.

Adjust Column Widths

AutoFit columns:

Select all columns (Ctrl+A, then Ctrl+Space)
Double-click any column border
Columns auto-fit to content
Better readability

Format Headers

Make headers stand out:

Select header row
Home > Bold (Ctrl+B)
Home > Fill Color (light gray)
Headers formatted

Freeze Headers

Keep headers visible:

Select row below headers
View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes
Headers stay visible when scrolling

Real Example: Viewing CSV Correctly

Incorrect Method (Double-Click):

Result:

All data in column A
No formatting
Wrong structure
Hard to read

Problem: Excel uses default settings, doesn't detect delimiter or encoding correctly.

Correct Method (Import Wizard):

Steps:

Used Import Wizard
Selected UTF-8 encoding
Chose Comma delimiter
Set data types (Text for IDs, Number for prices, Date for dates)
Loaded data

Result:

Columns aligned correctly
Characters display properly
Numbers formatted
Dates recognized
Leading zeros preserved
Professional appearance

Viewing Checklist

Use this checklist to view CSV correctly:

Used Import Wizard (not double-click)
Selected correct encoding (UTF-8 or appropriate)
Chose correct delimiter (comma, semicolon, tab)
Set data types for all columns
Set ID/code columns to Text (preserve leading zeros)
Verified preview before importing
Loaded data with correct settings
Checked all columns visible
Verified data in correct columns
Confirmed characters display correctly
Adjusted column widths
Formatted headers (optional)

Mini Automation Using RowTidy

You can prepare CSV files for correct viewing using RowTidy's intelligent cleaning.

The Problem:
Viewing CSV files correctly requires proper format:

Correct encoding
Consistent delimiters
Proper structure
Clean data

The Solution:
RowTidy prepares CSV files for correct viewing:

Upload CSV file - Drag and drop
AI analyzes format - Detects encoding, delimiter, structure
Auto-fixes issues - Standardizes format, encoding, structure
Downloads clean CSV - Get file ready for correct viewing

RowTidy Features:

Encoding standardization - Converts to UTF-8
Delimiter standardization - Ensures consistent delimiters
Structure fixing - Fixes headers, alignment, format
Data cleaning - Removes issues that cause viewing problems
View-ready files - CSV files that view correctly in Excel

Time saved: 30 minutes troubleshooting → 2 minutes automated

Clean your CSV files with RowTidy before viewing to ensure they display correctly. Try RowTidy's CSV cleaning →

FAQ

1. How do I view CSV file correctly in Excel?

Use Import Wizard (Data > From Text/CSV), select UTF-8 encoding, choose correct delimiter, set data types, then load. Don't double-click CSV files.

2. Why does my CSV show all data in one column?

Delimiter not recognized. Use Import Wizard, try different delimiters (comma, semicolon, tab), check preview to verify column structure.

3. How do I fix weird characters when viewing CSV?

Encoding mismatch. Use Import Wizard, try UTF-8 encoding first, or Windows-1252 if UTF-8 doesn't work. Preview to verify characters display correctly.

4. Why are my numbers showing as text in CSV?

Data type not set correctly. Use Import Wizard, set number columns to Number type, or use Text to Columns after import to convert.

5. How do I preserve leading zeros when viewing CSV?

Set ID/code columns to Text type in Import Wizard. Text type preserves leading zeros and prevents number conversion.

6. Can I view CSV without Excel?

Yes. Use text editor (Notepad++, VS Code), Google Sheets, or online CSV viewers. Different methods for different needs.

7. How do I view CSV in Google Sheets?

Upload CSV to Google Drive, right-click > Open with > Google Sheets. Google Sheets automatically imports CSV with correct settings.

8. What encoding should I use for CSV?

UTF-8 is best for most cases. If weird characters, try Windows-1252. Check file encoding in text editor if unsure.

9. How do I know which delimiter CSV uses?

Open CSV in text editor to see delimiter, or try different delimiters in Import Wizard preview to see which aligns columns correctly.

10. Can RowTidy help view CSV correctly?

Yes. RowTidy cleans and standardizes CSV files (encoding, delimiter, structure) so they view correctly in Excel with Import Wizard.

Related Guides

Conclusion

Viewing CSV files correctly requires using Import Wizard with proper settings (encoding, delimiter, data types) instead of double-clicking. Use correct encoding (UTF-8), choose appropriate delimiter, set data types, and verify preview before importing. Use tools like RowTidy to prepare CSV files for correct viewing.

Try RowTidy — clean and standardize CSV files so they view correctly in Excel and other applications.