iWork Numbers: How to Open Tab Delimited CSV Files

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Created: Oct 02, 2007     Updated: Oct 07, 2007

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Google adsense and many other programs export data into tab delimited CSV files. Numbers will not open these files with the correct formatting. However, with some minor preparation, Numbers will open the files perfectly.

The problem is honestly not iWork's Numbers program. The problem is that CSV files are not supposed to be tab delimited. As their name suggests, CSV files should contain Comma Seperated Values.

Although Excel does not care and has a wizard to walk the user through the import process, Numbers is a little more strict.

This is what happens if you try to load a tab delimited CSV file in Numbers:



Messy, huh?

Luckily, the fix is very easy. Tab delimited files should be in txt format. In a Finder window, click on your .csv file and rename it to a .txt file.

Now when you open the file in Numbers, you formatting will be correct.