How to open TSV files on Windows 10
We’re all familiar with CSV files i.e., Comma Separated Values. It’s a type of file format which imports and opens easily in most common spreadsheet apps. The values that appear to be separated by commas are separated into columns and rows. TSV files are similar but far less commonly supports.
TSV files on Windows
TSV files are tab separated values where ‘tab’ is the space that’s entered when you tap the Tab key on your keyboard. The file has the TXT file extension and not a TSV file extension which is just one more way it differs from a CSV file. A single data set will all be on the same line but it will be divided by a ‘tab’ value.
Open TSV files on Windows 10
Technically, opening a TSV file on Windows 10 is easy since it is a text file. You can use any basic text editor like Notepad to open it.
- Right-click the TSV file and select Open With
- Select Notepad.
- The file will open.
This method works but the data is not easy to read. A text editor has no column and row grid that displays the data in an easy to read format. This is why you essentially need a spreadsheet tool to open it and make sense of it.
1. TSV files – Microsoft Excel
Excel can open a TSV file but you must define the delimiter character for the TSV file when you open it in Excel.
- Open Microsoft Excel.
- Go to File>Open.
- From the File Type dropdown, select All Files.
- Select the TSV file.
- When prompted to, select Tab as the delimiter value.
- The TSV file will open.
2. TSV files – OpenOffice
Microsoft Excel isn’t a free app. You need to buy a subscription to Microsoft 365 in order to use. The web version of Outlook is free but it does not support TSV files. For a free solution, use OpenOffice.
- Download OpenOffice.
- Choose Calc during installation (unless you want to install the full productivity suite).
- Open Calc.
- Go to File>Open.
- Select the TSV file.
- Choose Tab as the delimiter character and uncheck all others.
- The TSV file will open.
Conclusion
There is surprisingly little support for TSV files. Google Sheets does not support it. Instead, it opens the file as a document. You might find TSV file viewers online i.e., apps that can display the contents of the file in rows and columns but if you want to be able to edit the file, you will have to use either Excel or Calc.
