---
title: ".tsv file — what it is and how to open it"
description: "A .tsv file is a Tab-Separated Values. Like CSV but separated by tabs, which sidesteps the comma problem entirely. How to open one on Windows, macOS and Linux, and what to convert it to."
url: https://atoneplace.net/file/tsv/
site: "At One Place"
---

# .tsv files

**.tsv file: Tab-Separated Values**

Like CSV but separated by tabs, which sidesteps the comma problem entirely.

## What opens a .tsv file

- **Windows:** Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc, Visual Studio Code, Notepad (built in)
- **macOS:** Numbers (built in), Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc
- **Linux:** LibreOffice Calc, Text Editor (built in), awk / cut
- **In a browser:** Google Sheets

## What a .tsv file is

TSV is a registered IANA format that uses tab characters between fields, so data containing commas needs no quoting — one reason bioinformatics and log processing prefer it. Excel and LibreOffice import it directly, though Excel may need you to pick "Tab" in the import dialog. Any text editor shows the raw file.

## Converting it

A .tsv file is commonly converted to .csv, .xlsx, .json or .txt. It is a plain text format, so any text editor can open and edit it directly.

## Details

- **Extension:** .tsv
- **Full name:** Tab-Separated Values
- **Category:** Data
- **MIME type:** text/tab-separated-values
- **Created by:** IANA registered format
- **Format:** Plain text

## Common questions

### How do I open a .tsv file?

On Windows use Microsoft Excel; on macOS use Numbers (built in); on Linux use LibreOffice Calc. Like CSV but separated by tabs, which sidesteps the comma problem entirely.

### What is a .tsv file?

Tab-Separated Values. TSV is a registered IANA format that uses tab characters between fields, so data containing commas needs no quoting — one reason bioinformatics and log processing prefer it. Excel and LibreOffice import it directly, though Excel may need you to pick "Tab" in the import dialog.

### Can I convert a .tsv file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .csv, .xlsx, .json or .txt, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

## Related pages

- [.csv — Comma-Separated Values](https://atoneplace.net/file/csv/)
- [.json — JavaScript Object Notation](https://atoneplace.net/file/json/)
- [.xml — Extensible Markup Language](https://atoneplace.net/file/xml/)
- [.yaml — YAML Data File](https://atoneplace.net/file/yaml/)
- [.log — Log File](https://atoneplace.net/file/log/)
- [.torrent — BitTorrent Metainfo File](https://atoneplace.net/file/torrent/)
- [.dat — Generic Data File](https://atoneplace.net/file/dat/)
- [.vcf — vCard Contact File](https://atoneplace.net/file/vcf/)
- [.sql — SQL Script](https://atoneplace.net/file/sql/)
- [.ics — iCalendar Event](https://atoneplace.net/file/ics/)
- [.sqlite — SQLite Database](https://atoneplace.net/file/sqlite/)
- [.db — Generic Database File](https://atoneplace.net/file/db/)

## Sources

- Media Types Registry — IANA (https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/)
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)