Fix CSV File Not Opening When Downloaded with 4 Ways

CSV file not opening after download? Fix encoding errors, corruption, and extension issues with our easy guide. Includes using EaseUS Fixo Document Repair for severely damaged CSV files.

Why CSV Files Are Not Opening When Downloaded

After downloading CSV files from the internet, you suddenly cannot open the files with software like Microsoft Office Excel, the file shows blank with an error message, a blank screen, or columns of complete gibberish.

It's actually a common error that CSV files do not open when downloaded. Here are some possible reasons:

• Incomplete Download. If you have downloaded the CSV files from the internet and suddenly disconnect from the internet during the download, the file might be corrupted because of an incomplete download.
• CSV Corruption. Your CSV files can be corrupted during the process of downloading, copying & pasting, or transferring to a storage device.
• Encoding Issues. If the file contains special characters saved in UTF-8 encoding, but MS Excel tries to open it with a different standard, the CSV files cannot be opened.
• Wrong Extension. Sometimes, the file is saved with the wrong extension, or your system hides extensions, causing it to open in the wrong program.

In this passage, we'll provide 4 tested methods to help you fix not-opened CSV files. Keep reading to gather detailed tutorials!

How to Fix Downloaded CSV Files Not Opening

Still troubled with the CSV file that cannot be opened? The good news is that you can resolve this CSV issue yourself with a few straightforward methods.

We'll guide you through the most effective solutions, and the following proven strategies range from basic troubleshooting to using specialized software, ensuring you can fix your CSV files:

Fix 1. Repair Corrupted CSV Files with Excel Repair Tool

If you have already tried some manual ways to fix the CSV files, and know that your files might be corrupted. Try to fix damaged CSV files with professional Excel repair tools. You should know that the CSV file corruption often happens due to an interrupted download, storage errors, or even a system crash.

For damaged CSV files, we highly recommend EaseUS Fixo Document Repair. It can reconstruct severely damaged CSV and Excel files and recover your precious data and formulas. Download this CSV repair tool now!

This user-friendly CSV file repair software can help you fix CSV not opening, CSV greyed out, blank CSV files, and 0 KB CSV files easily with simple clicks.

With this outstanding repair software, you can repair Excel files, Word documents, PowerPoint files, and PDF files on various storage devices.

Read this detailed CSV repair guide and open your CSV files again!

Step 1. Download and launch Fixo on your PC or laptop. Choose "File Repair" to repair corrupted Office documents, including Word, Excel, PDF, and others. Click "Add Files" to select corrupted documents.

Step 2. To repair multiple files at once, click the "Repair All" button. If you want to repair a single document, move your pointer to the target file and choose "Repair". You can also preview the documents by clicking the eye icon.

Step 3. Click "Save" to save a selected document. Select "Save All" to save all the repaired files. Choose "View Repaired" to locate the repaired folder.

Got your file back successfully? Share your win and this helpful CSV fixer with your network on social media!

Fix 2. Change the File Extension of Unopened CSV Files

Why is the CSV file extension so important? Your operating system will rely on this small piece of text to choose the right program to open it. If you cannot open CSV files with a double-click, try right-clicking the file and selecting the correct program to open it.

If you find the file extension of your CSV files is incorrect, change the extension with the following steps:

Step 1. First, you should enable file extension showing in File Explorer. Click the "View" menu at the top, and check the box for "File name extensions."

Step 2. Right-click your problematic downloaded CSV file and select "Rename."

Step 3. Then, change the last part of the filename after the period to ".csv".

Finally, you can click on other areas to confirm the file extension change and try to open the CSV files again.

Fix 3. Use Import from Feature to Open CSV Files

If your CSV file can't open or the data in the CSV file is a mess, you can use this method to fix the problem. The "Import" feature is your most powerful manual tool because it bypasses Excel's automatic assumptions.

Here is the step-by-step guide for applying the Import from feature in Microsoft Excel:

Step 1. Launch Microsoft Excel on your computer.

Step 2. Click the "Data" tab at the top of the menu bar.

Step 3. Click "From Text/CSV". If this button is not there, click "Get Data"> "From File"> "From Text/CSV".

Step 4. Locate and choose the problematic CSV file you downloaded. Click "Import".

Step 5. Now, a preview window will appear. Here, you can use the dropdowns to correct the File Origin. Once the preview looks correct, click "Load".

Fix 4. Redownload or Open CSV with Other Software

If you can find the source link of your problematic CSV files, you can redownload them with a stable internet connection. Sometimes, it's the application's problem, so it will be helpful to redownload or open CSV files with other Excel viewers.

Open with an Alternative Program: Right-click the CSV file, select "Open with," and choose a different application.

You can try the following programs to open CSV files:

• Google Sheets: A great web-based option that handles various encodings well.
• LibreOffice Calc: A robust free desktop alternative to Excel.
• A Text Editor: Using Notepad++ or VS Code can confirm if the file's basic structure is intact, helping you diagnose encoding or delimiter problems.

Don't forget to share all these available CSV repair tips on social media to help more users!

Summary

For the most stubborn cases of Excel file corruption, a dedicated tool like EaseUS Fixo Document Repair offers a robust path to repair.

To avoid these frustrations in the future, consider a few proactive habits.:

• Stable internet connection. When you are going to download important files, check your Wi-Fi connection in advance.
• Double-check the CSV file to ensure it has the correct .csv extension.
• Using the "From Text/CSV" import function in Excel instead of double-clicking.
• Having reliable repair software on hand can turn a potential disaster into a minor inconvenience.

Downloaded CSV Won't Open FAQs

If you have more questions about CSV repair, check the following section.

1. How can I open a CSV file?

Common spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers, and the online tool Google Sheets support CSV files. You can open your CSV files with these recommended programs.

2. Can I repair a corrupted CSV file on a Mac?

Yes, for a corrupted CSV file, you can repair it with professional spreadsheet repair software - EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard. This software has both Windows & Mac versions; you can fix corrupted files on a Windows or macOS computer without difficulty.

3. How can I fix Excel won't open CSV?

You can use the Import from feature in Microsoft Excel to open CSV files that cannot be opened directly. Click the "Data" tab and choose "From Text/CSV", and import your CSV file.