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How to open CSV files

CSV or .csv files are easily opened by any spreadsheet software, including Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, and Open Office. CSV is also compatible with many CRM and online platforms.

After downloading a CSV file from ListShack, find the file on your computer, usually in the downloads folder (or available at the bottom of the browser if using Chrome), and double click the file. The file will then be automatically opened by your default spreadsheet software (usually Microsoft Excel for Windows users or Numbers for Mac OS users.)

If the file won't open. If the file fails to open when you double click the file, ensure that you have spreadsheet software available on your computer. If you do not have Excel, Numbers, or Open Office available, we recommend using Google Sheets, free cloud spreadsheet software available to anyone with a gmail email address. Simply open up your Google Drive in your browser, drag and drop the CSV file from your computer into the browser, wait for the file to upload, and double click the file to open it in Google Sheets.

If the file appears as a single line of text. Sometimes, your computer may attempt to open a CSV file in a text editor such as TextEdit (Mac OS) or WordPad (Windows). If this is the case, then you'll need to open your spreadsheet software separately, and import the file into the spreadsheet software as follows:

Microsoft Excel:

  1. Open Microsoft excel
  2. Click file > import > csv and click "Import".
  3. Select the file, and click "Open".
  4. Select "Delimited" and click "Next".
  5. Uncheck "Tab" and check "comma" and click "Finish".
  6. Select the cell where you'd like the data to be imported into and click "OK".