Some customers regularly ask why the file is unusable:
"The download is broken."
"My downloaded file seems weird."
"Everything seems messed up."
With a file that looks like this:
Don't worry, the file is usable, and I will show how to use it.
This problem occurs because Excel has trouble opening CSV files without a bit of help.
When someone opens the file by double-clicking on it, Excel applies default settings that might not correctly handle CSV formatting. As a result, columns may not display correctly, and data could appear jumbled.
How to fix it:
Option 1: Open it with Google Sheets
Google Sheets handles CSV files very well by default.
Option 2: Open the CSV in Excel using the proper method
Follow these steps to correctly open your CSV file in Excel:
Open Excel first without double-clicking the file.
Click on File → Open.
Navigate to your CSV file location and select it.
In the Open dialog, under "File Type," choose Text Files (.prn, .txt, .csv).
When the Text Import Wizard appears:
Select the correct Delimiter: "comma" (,)
Click Finish, and your file should now open with the correct formatting.