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How can you change Mac excel 2011 to separate using commas, not semicolons?

Super User Asked on November 24, 2021

I have Excel 2011 on my Mac, and when I try to export a .xls file into .csv I end up having a semicolon separated file instead of .csv.

p.s. The System preferences for my keyboard input is Italian

What is the matter?

3 Answers

One more solution.

  1. Select the column.
  2. Click on Data, then click on Text to columns.
  3. Follow the wizard as follows, Delimited -> Select comma, Tab as delimiters -> Finish.

Answered by f_i on November 24, 2021

I've tried the accepted answer with no success. (High Sierra + Excel 16.10) My only option has been to use open office, far away from Excel in this feature.

Answered by Miquel on November 24, 2021

Excel for Mac currently has no setting to change the CSV separator from the app itself.

The chosen value separator depends on your Region and your region's default number separators.  To change them, go to “System Preferences” > “Language & Region”:

System Preferences > Language & Region

Then you need to verify the number separators in “Advanced …” > “General”.

Advanced > General

Here are the rules Excel uses to determine how it saves CSV files:

  • If your language / region / locale uses comma (,) for decimal separation (i.e., π (pi) is displayed as 3,1416), then Excel will save using semi-colons (;)
  • If it uses a dot (., a.k.a. full stop or period), then it will delimit with commas (,).

Note:

  • You need to change your general region for it to work. For example, if your region is Germany (which uses , for decimal separation), Excel will always use ; for CSVs, even when changing the decimal point under “Advanced” settings. You could, for example, if you want , as a CSV separator, choose the United States as a region.
  • You need to relaunch Excel for it to notice. Quit the app, change the region, then start it again.

Answered by Tetsujin on November 24, 2021

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