10 Best CSV Viewers for Windows
Comma-Separated Values (CSV) is one of the oldest file formats used for modern computers. The format even predates personal computers by a decade and remains important for recording data. A CSV file stores tabular data with the same number of fields in each case line. In our list of 10 best CSV viewers for Windows, we will explore various tools that you can use to view and manage files with Comma-Separated Values.
1. Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is one of the most widely used apps for opening CSV files, it isn’t the most lightweight application for viewing data. Especially very large chunks of information. However, if you are someone who has Excel installed it is likely to be your default option for viewing and editing CSV files on Windows or Mac.
2. LibreOffice Calc
An open-source alternative to Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc is another commonly used spreadsheet app for viewing and editing CSV files. Furthermore, LibreOffice Calc is a cross-platform application that has versions available for Windows, Mac, Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris and other operating systems.
3. CSV Quick Viewer
CSV Quick Viewer is a lightweight portable alternative to full-featured apps like Excel or Libre Calc that can be great for quickly opening large CSV files. You can also format and sort data using a few simple options given at the top of the app’s interface.
4. CSV FileView
CSV FileView by NirSoft is another app for Windows that you can use for viewing files with Comma-Separated Values in a lightweight format without the hassle of installing a heavy app. It shows CSV file data in a simplified interface and can be very handy for people looking for a quick and easy way of viewing CSV file data.
5. CSVed
Available in portable format and with an installable version, CSVed is a powerful CSV file viewer and editor. The app enables users to not only edit, insert and add items but also remove duplicate values, split and join columns, as well as to export the files. It supports exporting CSV files to formats for Word, Excel, Access, etc.
6. CSV Viewer
CSV Viewer serves as another free app that you can use for viewing and formatting data. This is a rudimentary viewer that supports basic functions to select, search and copy information from a CSV file.
7. CSVpad
This is another lightweight editor and viewer for CSV files. CSVpad has 32-bit and 64-bit versions for Windows and Linux distributions. Like various other apps in this list, you can edit, add and view CSV files using numerous handy options offered by this free application.
8. CSV Buddy
As the name implies, CSV Buddy is your buddy for viewing, editing and exporting CSV files. The supported file formats for exporting CSV files include HTML and XML file formats.
9. Ron’s Editor
Ron’s Editor is a CSV file viewer with a limitation of 1000 rows for the free version of the app. This Windows based app supports both CSV and TSV files. With Ron’s Editor you can clean, merge and convert your data. The only downside of the app is the limited functionality for its free version.
10. Notepad++ with CSV Query Plugin
While the Windows Notepad app can be a simple way of viewing CSV data, if you want something more powerful, you should opt for Notepad++. It is a famous application among developers since it comes with a variety of plugins that can be used to enhance its functionality beyond a simple notepad app. By using Notepad++ with the CSV Query plugin, you can have a powerful tool for viewing CSV files.
CSV Viewers for Mac
There are a number of powerful apps that can be used for viewing and editing CSV files on Mac. If you’re looking for something beyond Microsoft Excel or LibreOffice Calc, you might find Table Tool or Tad useful. The latter also has versions for Windows and Linux.
Final Words
CSV files are widely used for storing data and it isn’t always feasible to use apps like Excel to open them. If you’ve ever had to deal with very large CSV files, the chances are you also ended up with issues related to opening them in applications like Excel. Since CSV is essentially text-based data, lightweight viewers can be a better option to view and manage your file data instead of resource-intensive applications. Especially when you require only viewing data or need to perform basic editing functions, a CSV viewer can be of great help.
