Browse Tools Top 100
XLS CSV
File conversion

Convert XLS to CSV

Convert now
Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Aug 11, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert XLS to CSV?
Yes - XLS converts to CSV.

You can do it right here with our free converter - no sign-up, and your file is deleted right after.

The fastest path is to upload your file to the free converter on this page and download the resulting .csv. The key caveat: only the active sheet is exported, so a multi-sheet workbook requires one export per sheet.

8 programs
Also to CSV: DTA · HVE · XFDF

On this page

Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Sep 2026

More free converters

HEIC, PNG, WEBP, MP3 and more - every tool here is free.

Open the toolbox
XLS → CSV converterFREE
Drop a .XLS file here
or pick one - we convert it to .CSV and give you the file to download

Why convert XLS to CSV?

CSV is the plain-text format that databases, import wizards, and scripting tools read without special libraries - MySQL, PostgreSQL, Python pandas, and most BI tools accept .CSV directly but cannot reliably parse the old XLS binary format. Converting strips the binary container and leaves raw tabular data that any tool can open.

How to convert XLS to CSV

Microsoft Excel BUILT-IN

Open the file, click the sheet tab you want, then go to File > Save As and choose CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (.csv).

LibreOffice Calc FREE

Open the .xls file, go to File > Save As, select Text CSV (.csv), and set the character encoding to UTF-8 in the export dialog.

Google Sheets FREE

Upload the file to Google Drive, open it with Google Sheets, then go to File > Download > Comma Separated Values.

Command line - LibreOffice CLI

Run soffice --headless --convert-to csv yourfile.xls to produce a .csv in the same directory (first sheet only).

Programs that convert XLS

Microsoft Excel
Ability Spreadsheet
docXConverter
PlanMaker
Corel Quattro Pro
Microsoft Excel for Mac
iWork Numbers
NeoOffice

About these formats

.XLS Microsoft Excel 97-2003 Workbook (Binary Interchange File Format, BIFF8)

An XLS file is an old-format Microsoft Excel spreadsheet from the Excel 97-2003 era, saved as a binary file rather than the ZIP-based XLSX used since 2007. You can open it free without…

Open .XLS details →
.CSV Comma-Separated Values

A CSV file stores tabular data as plain text - one row per line, values separated by commas (or semicolons in European locales). Any spreadsheet opens it: Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice…

Open .CSV details →

Quality & what to watch

  • Only one sheet exports per conversion - a workbook with multiple sheets needs a separate export for each tab.
  • Formulas are replaced by their last calculated values; the original formula is not recoverable from the .csv.
  • Date cells may export as serial numbers (e.g., 44927) instead of readable dates - pre-format them as a date string in Excel before saving.

Frequently asked questions

Does converting XLS to CSV lose data?
Formatting, charts, and extra sheets are not included. Cell values are preserved, but formulas are replaced by the values they last calculated.
Why do my date columns show numbers like 44927 after export?
XLS stores dates as integers counting from January 1, 1900. Pre-format the column as a date string in Excel before saving as CSV to avoid this.
Can I convert all sheets at once?
Not with standard desktop apps - each sheet must be exported separately. A Python script using pandas can read all sheets and write one .csv per sheet in one pass.
Should I convert XLS to XLSX first, then to CSV?
No - Excel, LibreOffice, and Google Sheets all read .xls and export .csv directly, so the extra step adds no benefit.