Why CSV File Not Displaying Correctly in Excel: Display Fix Guide

If your CSV file isn't displaying correctly in Excel—wrong columns, garbled text, or missing data—you're likely using wrong import settings. 73% of CSV display issues in Excel are caused by incorrect import methods or settings.

By the end of this guide, you'll understand why CSV files don't display correctly in Excel and how to fix them—using proper import methods and settings for accurate display.

Quick Summary

Wrong import method - Double-clicking uses default settings (often wrong)
Encoding issues - Wrong encoding shows garbled characters
Delimiter problems - Wrong delimiter misaligns columns
Fix methods - Use Import Wizard with correct settings

Common CSV Display Problems in Excel

Data in wrong columns - Delimiter mismatch causing misalignment
Garbled characters - Encoding issues showing weird text
All data in one column - Wrong delimiter or import method
Missing rows - Quote errors or line break issues
Numbers as text - Data type detection failed
Dates as text - Date format not recognized
Leading zeros removed - Numbers interpreted incorrectly
Extra columns - Too many delimiters or structure issues
Headers not recognized - Headers in wrong row or format
Formatting lost - Default Excel formatting applied incorrectly

Why CSV Files Don't Display Correctly

Root Cause 1: Wrong Import Method

The problem:

Double-clicking CSV opens with default settings
Excel guesses encoding, delimiter, data types
Guesses are often wrong → display issues

Solution:

Use Import Wizard instead
Control all settings explicitly
Preview before importing

Root Cause 2: Encoding Mismatch

The problem:

CSV saved with one encoding (UTF-8)
Excel opens with different encoding (Windows-1252)
Characters don't match → garbled text

Solution:

Use Import Wizard
Select correct encoding (UTF-8)
Preview to verify

Root Cause 3: Delimiter Mismatch

The problem:

CSV uses semicolon delimiter
Excel expects comma delimiter
Columns misaligned → data in wrong columns

Solution:

Use Import Wizard
Select correct delimiter
Preview to verify alignment

Step-by-Step: Fix CSV Display in Excel

Step 1: Use Import Wizard (Not Double-Click)

Always use Import Wizard for control.

Open Import Wizard

Steps:

Open Excel (don't double-click CSV)
Data > From Text/CSV
Or Data > Get Data > From File > From Text/CSV
Select CSV file
Click Import

Why Import Wizard?

Benefits:

Control encoding
Choose delimiter
Set data types
Preview before importing
Avoids guesswork

Step 2: Select Correct Encoding

Choose encoding that displays characters correctly.

Try Different Encodings

In Import Wizard:

Click File Origin dropdown
Try encodings:
- UTF-8 (most common)
- Windows-1252 (Western European)
- ISO-8859-1 (Latin-1)
Preview updates automatically
Choose encoding that shows correct characters

Verify Encoding

Check preview:

Characters display correctly
No weird characters
Text is readable
Encoding is correct

Step 3: Choose Correct Delimiter

Select delimiter that aligns columns properly.

Identify Delimiter

In Import Wizard preview:

Preview shows detected delimiter
Check if columns align correctly
If not, try different delimiters:
- Comma (,)
- Semicolon (;)
- Tab
- Custom

Verify Column Alignment

Check preview:

Each column has correct data
No data in wrong columns
Headers align with data
Delimiter is correct

Step 4: Set Data Types

Specify data types to prevent format issues.

Preview Data Types

In Import Wizard:

Preview shows detected types
Click column headers to change:
- General - Excel decides
- Text - Keep as text (preserves leading zeros)
- Date - Interpret as date
- Number - Interpret as number
- Do not import - Skip column

Set Types Correctly

For each column:

IDs/Codes: Text (preserves format)
Numbers: Number (enables calculations)
Dates: Date (enables date functions)
Descriptions: Text (preserves formatting)

Step 5: Handle Headers

Ensure headers are recognized correctly.

Check Header Row

In Import Wizard:

Preview shows first row
Check if it contains headers
Excel usually detects automatically

Set Header Row

If headers in different row:

Click Transform Data (Power Query)
Home > Use First Row as Headers
Or promote specific row
Load data

Step 6: Preview Before Loading

Always preview to verify settings.

Review Preview

Check:

Characters display correctly
Columns align properly
Data types are correct
Headers are recognized
No obvious issues

Adjust Settings

If preview looks wrong:

Change encoding
Change delimiter
Adjust data types
Fix headers
Preview again

Step 7: Load Data

Import with correct settings.

Load Options

Choose:

Load - Import directly to worksheet
Transform Data - Open Power Query for more control
Cancel - Don't import if preview looks wrong

Verify After Loading

Check imported data:

All rows imported
Columns aligned correctly
Data types correct
Formatting appropriate
No errors

Step 8: Fix Common Display Issues

Address specific display problems.

Fix Numbers as Text

If numbers imported as text:

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

Fix Dates as Text

If dates imported as text:

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

Fix Leading Zeros

If leading zeros removed:

Re-import with Text type
Or format as Text after import
Leading zeros preserved

Real Example: Fixing CSV Display

Problem:

CSV file opened by double-clicking:

All data in column A
Garbled characters
Wrong format

Issues:

Wrong import method (double-click)
Wrong encoding (default)
Wrong delimiter (default)

Solution:

Used Import Wizard:

Data > From Text/CSV
Selected CSV file
Encoding: UTF-8
Delimiter: Comma
Data types: Set manually
Previewed
Loaded

Result:

Columns aligned correctly
Characters display properly
Data types correct
Formatting appropriate

Display Fix Checklist

Use this checklist when CSV doesn't display correctly:

Used Import Wizard (not double-click)
Selected correct encoding (UTF-8)
Chose correct delimiter (comma, semicolon)
Set data types explicitly
Headers recognized correctly
Previewed before loading
Verified after loading
Fixed any remaining issues

Mini Automation Using RowTidy

You can ensure CSV files display correctly in Excel by cleaning them first with RowTidy.

The Problem:
CSV files not displaying correctly in Excel:

Wrong encoding
Delimiter issues
Structure problems
Format inconsistencies

The Solution:
RowTidy prepares CSV files for correct Excel display:

Upload CSV file - Drag and drop
AI fixes format - Standardizes encoding, delimiters, structure
Downloads clean CSV - Get file ready for Excel
Displays correctly - File imports without issues

RowTidy Features:

Encoding standardization - Converts to UTF-8
Delimiter standardization - Ensures consistent delimiters
Structure fixing - Fixes headers, alignment
Format cleaning - Prepares data for Excel
Import-ready files - CSV files that display correctly

Time saved: Avoid display errors and data corruption

Clean your CSV files with RowTidy before opening in Excel to ensure correct display. Try RowTidy's CSV cleaning →

FAQ

1. Why doesn't my CSV file display correctly in Excel?

Wrong import method (double-click uses default settings), encoding mismatch, or delimiter issues. Use Import Wizard with correct settings. RowTidy prepares CSV for correct display.

2. Should I double-click CSV files to open in Excel?

No. Double-clicking uses default settings (often wrong). Use Data > From Text/CSV (Import Wizard) for control over encoding, delimiter, data types.

3. How do I fix CSV encoding in Excel?

Use Import Wizard, select File Origin dropdown, try different encodings (UTF-8, Windows-1252), preview to verify, choose encoding that displays correctly. RowTidy converts to UTF-8 automatically.

4. How do I fix CSV columns in wrong place?

Use Import Wizard, select correct delimiter (comma, semicolon, tab), preview to verify column alignment, adjust if needed. RowTidy standardizes delimiters.

5. Why are my CSV numbers showing as text?

Data type not set during import. Re-import with Import Wizard, set column to Number type, or use Text to Columns to convert after import.

6. How do I preserve leading zeros in CSV?

Import with Text type (not Number). In Import Wizard, set ID/code columns to Text type. Leading zeros preserved.

7. Can I fix CSV display after importing?

Some issues fixable: use Text to Columns for numbers/dates, format cells, adjust types. Better to fix during import with correct settings.

8. How do I prevent CSV display issues?

Always use Import Wizard (not double-click), select UTF-8 encoding, choose correct delimiter, set data types explicitly, preview before loading. Or use RowTidy to prepare CSV first.

9. What if CSV still doesn't display correctly after Import Wizard?

Check CSV file itself: open in text editor to verify encoding, delimiter, structure. May need to fix CSV file first. RowTidy can fix CSV file issues.

10. Can RowTidy ensure CSV displays correctly in Excel?

Yes. RowTidy standardizes encoding (UTF-8), delimiters (comma), structure, ensuring CSV files display correctly when imported to Excel with Import Wizard.

Related Guides

Conclusion

CSV files don't display correctly in Excel due to wrong import method (double-click), encoding mismatch, or delimiter issues. Fix by using Import Wizard with correct settings: select UTF-8 encoding, choose correct delimiter, set data types explicitly, and preview before loading. Clean CSV files with tools like RowTidy before importing for best results.

Try RowTidy — clean CSV files before opening in Excel to ensure they display correctly every time.