Where does semicolon-delimited (SSV) data usually come from?

Most commonly from Excel or LibreOffice Calc configured for a European locale, where the comma is already used as the decimal separator, so the spreadsheet's CSV export switches to semicolons instead.

Does it handle quoted fields containing semicolons or commas?

Yes, the input is parsed with a full RFC 4180-aware parser, so quoted fields containing either character, or embedded newlines, convert correctly without breaking row structure.

Will row and column counts change?

No, only the delimiter character changes; every field maps 1:1 from the SSV input to the CSV output.

What if a field already contains a comma?

It gets wrapped in double quotes in the CSV output per RFC 4180, so it round-trips correctly and doesn't get mistaken for a new field boundary.

Is this just a global find-and-replace of semicolons with commas?

No, a naive replace would also affect semicolons that legitimately belong inside quoted values. This tool parses the SSV structurally first, so only actual field-separating semicolons become commas.

Can I convert back to SSV afterward?

Yes, use the CSV to SSV converter, which reverses this exact conversion.

SSV to CSV Converter - Semicolon to Comma

Overview

Introduction

Many APIs, scripts, and import tools default to expecting standard comma-delimited CSV, but a European-locale spreadsheet export often produces semicolon-delimited SSV instead. This tool converts SSV back into standard comma CSV.

It parses the SSV structurally first, so only genuine field-separating semicolons are replaced, not semicolons that legitimately belong inside quoted values.

What Is SSV to CSV Converter?

A delimiter-conversion tool that re-parses semicolon-separated values and re-serializes the same rows and columns using commas as the field separator instead.

It's the direct inverse of the CSV to SSV converter in this category.

How SSV to CSV Converter Works

The input is parsed character by character with the semicolon as the delimiter, correctly handling quoted fields that contain semicolons, commas, or embedded newlines.

The resulting grid of cells is re-serialized using commas, with any cell containing a comma, quote, or newline automatically wrapped in quotes.

When To Use SSV to CSV Converter

Use it right after exporting or receiving a semicolon-delimited file from a European-locale spreadsheet, to get standard CSV for an API, script, or import tool.

It's also useful when a system explicitly labels its export as "CSV" but actually uses semicolons, a common source of confusion when the two formats get mixed up.

Often used alongside CSV to SSV Converter, PSV to CSV Converter and CSV Delimiter Changer.

Features

Advantages

Correctly handles RFC 4180 quoting, so quoted fields containing semicolons or commas convert without corruption.
Preserves row and column structure exactly, only the delimiter character changes.
Runs entirely client-side, so your data never leaves the browser.

Limitations

Assumes the input is semicolon-delimited; comma-, tab-, or pipe-delimited input should go through the matching converter instead.
Doesn't attempt to reformat decimal-comma numeric values (like "3,14") inside cells, it only changes the structural field delimiter.

Examples

Converting a small SSV to CSV

Input

id;name;active
1;Ada Lovelace;true
2;Alan Turing;false

Output

id,name,active
1,Ada Lovelace,true
2,Alan Turing,false

Each semicolon between fields becomes a comma; the row and column layout is otherwise unchanged.

Best Practices & Notes

Best Practices

Verify the input is genuinely semicolon-delimited before converting; some files labeled ".csv" from European locales are actually SSV under the hood.
If your data contains decimal numbers formatted with commas, handle that reformatting separately, this tool only touches the structural delimiter.
Pair with CSV to SSV to confirm a round trip reproduces your original data.

Developer Notes

This is a two-step pipeline over the shared CSV grid parser: parse with `;` as the delimiter, then re-stringify the same grid with `,` as the delimiter. Both steps share the same RFC 4180-aware escaping logic used by every other delimiter converter in this category.

SSV to CSV Converter Use Cases

Converting a European-locale spreadsheet export into standard CSV for an API request or script
Normalizing a "CSV" file that's actually semicolon-delimited before feeding it into a strict comma-CSV parser
Preparing SSV data for a downstream system that only accepts comma-delimited input

Common Mistakes

Assuming a file with a `.csv` extension is always comma-delimited; many European-locale exports use semicolons despite the extension.
Expecting this tool to also reformat decimal-comma numbers to decimal-point notation; it only changes the field delimiter.

Tips

If a strict CSV parser downstream is rejecting your file with column-count errors, check whether it's actually semicolon-delimited SSV first.
Use CSV to SSV afterward on the result to sanity-check the round trip.

SSV to CSV Converter