The steps in this guide are going to show you how to download your Google Sheets file as a .csv file.
- Sign into Google Drive and open the Sheets file to download.
- Select the File tab at the top-left of the window.
- Choose the Download option, then click Comma-separated values.
- Choose the download location, then click the Save button.
Do you have a spreadsheet in Google Sheets that you need to put into a CSV file format? While you may be considering options like copying and pasting everything into Microsoft Excel, there is a much faster way to accomplish this.
Our article below is going to show you how to download as a .csv file from Google Sheets using an option found within the application’s menus.
How to Convert a Google Sheets File to a CSV File
The steps in this tutorial were performed in the desktop version of Google Chrome, but will also work in other desktop Web browsers like Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge.
Step 1: Sign into Google Drive at https://drive.google.com and open the Google Sheets file you wish to download as a .csv file.
Step 2: Click the File tab at the top-left of the window.
Step 3: Choose the Download option, then click Comma-separated values.
Step 4: Choose a location for the .csv file, then click Save. Note that your browser may just automatically download the file to your default download location depending on your settings.
The .csv file type has far fewer formatting options than Google Sheets’ default file type. This means that almost all of the formatting that you have applied to the file will be stripped from the .csv version of the file. Additionally you cannot download charts or graphs as part of a .csv file, and it can only consist of the active worksheet when you complete the steps above.
Now that you know how to download a Google Sheets file as a CSV, you can use your data in applications that are compatible with that type of file.
Learn how to freeze a row to the top of the spreadsheet in Google Sheets if you would like to keep a row, such as one with headings, visible at all times while you scroll down through your data.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.