Wrong delimiter
Fix CSV files with the wrong delimiter
Catch delimiter mismatches early and export a cleaned CSV using comma, semicolon, or tab formatting.
What this problem usually means
Wrong-delimiter CSV files are one of the most common causes of failed imports. A file may open fine in a spreadsheet app, but if the target system expects commas and the export uses semicolons or tabs, the import can collapse into one column or map fields incorrectly.
Why it happens
- Different regions and spreadsheet tools default to different delimiters.
- The source export used semicolons, tabs, or pipes while the target importer expects commas.
- The file was re-saved by another tool that changed the delimiter without making that obvious.
What ImportFix checks
- Delimiter confidence across multiple candidate delimiters
- Average column count for each candidate
- Signs that the detected delimiter may not match the intended structure
- Previewable output before export
Common repairs
Detect the likely delimiter used by the original file
Normalize the file to comma, semicolon, or tab export as needed
Repair surrounding structural issues such as empty rows or duplicate headers
Export a cleaned CSV that matches the target importer expectation
When to review manually
Always compare the repaired preview to the original intent of the file. If values that should be in separate columns are still merged, the delimiter may not be the only issue present.
Related guides
Keep exploring the most common import problems, or jump into the repair workspace directly.