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Convert XML to CSV

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Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Jul 10, 2026
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Is it possible to convert XML to CSV?
Yes - XML 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 our free converter above or Excel's Data > Get Data > From XML, which handles most well-structured xml files in seconds. The key caveat is that CSV is a flat format, so nested elements, attributes, and namespaces are either dropped or collapsed into a single text column.

4 programs
Also to CSV: DTA · HVE · XFDF

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Sep 2026

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Why convert XML to CSV?

XML is the standard export format for ERPs, CRMs, bank systems, and government portals, but its tag structure makes it awkward to analyse in a spreadsheet or load into a database. Converting to .CSV gives a flat, row-column layout that any tool can import without further transformation. The conversion works well as long as the XML has a regular, table-like structure.

How to convert XML to CSV

Microsoft Excel - Power Query BUILT-IN

Go to Data > Get Data > From File > From XML, pick the repeating element in Power Query, then File > Save As > CSV.

OpenOffice.org Calc FREE

Open the xml file in Calc, map elements to columns via the XML source panel, then export as Text CSV (.csv).

Command line - Python CLI

Write a short script using xml.etree.ElementTree and csv.writer, then run it as python convert.py input.xml output.csv.

Programs that convert XML

Microsoft Excel
XML to CSV Conversion Tool
OpenOffice.org Calc
PrimoOnline

About these formats

.XML Extensible Markup Language Document

An XML file is a plain-text document that stores structured data in nested, custom tags. Because it is just text, any text editor opens it - drag it into a browser tab for a quick,…

Open .XML 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

  • CSV is flat - nested XML elements and attributes are either dropped or collapsed into one text value; always inspect the output before relying on it.
  • XML namespaces can produce messy column names like {http://example.com/ns}fieldname in the output; a preprocessing step that strips namespaces avoids this.
  • Ensure the tool writes UTF-8 if your xml contains non-ASCII characters - Excel on Windows may default to the system code page and corrupt accented or non-Latin text.

Frequently asked questions

Does this work for any XML file?
Only for XML with a regular, repeating structure - one element per record with consistent child elements. Deeply nested or document-style xml does not convert to a useful flat csv automatically.
What happens to nested elements?
Most tools drop them or serialize them as a text string in a single column. For nested data in separate columns, use a Python script with xmltodict to flatten the structure before writing the csv.
Excel says it cannot open my XML as a table - what is wrong?
The file likely has deep nesting, only one record, or complex namespaces. Use Power Query's Transform options or flatten the structure with a script first.
Can I convert the CSV back to XML?
No - CSV loses all hierarchy, attributes, and namespaces, so round-tripping is not possible without additional schema knowledge and custom code.