Convert CSV to PSV
Convert a CSV file to a pipe-separated file (PSV). Runs entirely in your browser, so your data never leaves your device.
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Output
The result appears here as you type.
How to use Convert CSV to PSV
- 1. Paste your CSV. Drop comma-separated data into the input pane. A header row is fine but not required; the converter parses each record as you type and rewrites it on the fly.
- 2. Understand what changes. Every field separator becomes a pipe character. Fields that contain commas no longer need their protective quotes, so a value like 'Smith, Jane' comes out cleaner than it went in.
- 3. Check quoted fields. Values that themselves contain a pipe get quoted in the output so the PSV stays parseable. Glance over the result to confirm your columns still line up as expected.
- 4. Copy the pipe-separated result. Use the copy button on the output pane and paste the PSV into your import script, database loader or wherever the pipe delimiter is expected.
When to use Convert CSV to PSV
Convert CSV to PSV swaps the comma delimiter for a pipe, which many databases, mainframes and ETL pipelines prefer because pipes almost never appear in real data. If your values are full of commas, addresses, names or free text, moving to PSV removes a whole class of quoting headaches.
- Loading data into a warehouse. Your COPY command or bulk loader is configured with a pipe delimiter. Run the export through this converter first and the load succeeds without touching the loader's settings.
- Escaping comma-heavy text fields. A customer export has addresses and notes riddled with commas, and downstream tools keep misreading the quoting. Pipes as separators make each record's field boundaries unambiguous again.
- Feeding a legacy system. An old mainframe or EDI-style interface only accepts pipe-delimited feeds. Converting in the browser saves you from writing a one-off sed script every time a file arrives.
- Preparing awk or cut pipelines. Command-line tools like cut -d'|' are simpler to reason about when the delimiter never shows up inside values. Convert once, then slice columns in the terminal with confidence.
Examples
Commas become pipes
Input
name,age Ada,36
Output
name|age Ada|36
About the Convert CSV to PSV tool
Convert CSV to PSV runs as plain JavaScript in your browser tab, with no server behind it. Convert a CSV file to a pipe-separated file (PSV). Whatever you put in stays on your device from start to finish.
The tool is part of EditSafely's CSV Tools section, 133 single-purpose utilities built around the same idea: open the page, get the result, keep your data to yourself.
There is nothing to configure. Provide the input and the result appears on its own. A worked example further down the page shows exactly what the tool produces for a real input.
That local-first design has practical benefits beyond privacy. The tool keeps working on a flaky connection once the page has loaded, results are instant because nothing round-trips to a server, and it is safe to use with confidential material.
Frequently asked questions
Is Convert CSV to PSV free to use?
Yes, it is completely free. All 2,658 tools on EditSafely work without an account, a subscription or usage limits.
Is it safe to paste sensitive or confidential data?
Everything happens locally. Your browser downloads the tool's code once, then does all the processing itself; nothing you enter is transmitted, stored or logged. You can even go offline after the page loads and it will still work.
How much text can I process at once?
There is no fixed limit. Because the work happens on your own device rather than on a shared server, the practical ceiling is your machine's memory, which comfortably handles inputs far larger than typical online tools allow.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
No. The tool works in any modern browser on desktop, tablet or phone. There is no account to create, no extension to add and no software to install.
How do I use the result?
The output panel has a one-click copy button, and you can keep refining the input while you work; the result updates in place as you type.