Converters
CSV to JSON Converter
Parse CSV into JSON with proper quote and comma handling.
Paste CSV above and click Convert to JSON.
What is the CSV to JSON Converter?
Spreadsheets export CSV, but APIs and code want JSON. This free converter parses your CSV with a real state-machine parser — not a naive split on commas — so quoted fields containing commas, escaped double-quotes and even line breaks inside cells all convert correctly into a clean JSON array of objects.
How to use it
- Paste your CSV data into the input box (or export it from Excel / Google Sheets).
- Keep “First row is a header” ticked if your first row names the columns; untick it to get col1, col2… keys.
- Choose pretty-printed or minified output.
- Click Convert to JSON, then Copy or Download the result.
Key features
- Proper CSV parsing: quoted commas, "" escaped quotes and multiline fields.
- Header-row detection with automatic col1, col2 fallback.
- Pretty (indented) or minified output to suit humans or machines.
- Skips blank rows and trims ragged edges gracefully.
- Copy to clipboard and .json download.
Real-world use cases
- Turning an Excel export into JSON for a web app or API.
- Preparing seed data for a database or a JavaScript project.
- Converting contact lists into a format a script can process.
- Moving data between tools that only share CSV and JSON.
Practical tips
- Always keep the header row — named keys (“name”, “city”) beat col1, col2 in every downstream tool.
- If a field contains a literal quote, CSV escapes it as two quotes ("") — this parser handles that.
- Use minified output when pasting into code, pretty output when reading or debugging.
- Numbers stay as strings; convert types in your code if you need real numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why not just split the CSV on commas?
Because real CSV allows commas inside quoted fields, like "Lahore, Pakistan". A naive split would break that into two columns. This parser follows proper CSV rules so quoted content stays intact.
How are double quotes inside fields handled?
CSV escapes a literal quote as two quotes (""). The parser converts those back to a single quote in the JSON output, exactly as the standard requires.
What if my CSV has no header row?
Untick “First row is a header” and the tool generates keys col1, col2, col3 and so on, using your first row as data instead of headers.
Are numbers converted to JSON numbers?
No — every cell becomes a JSON string, which is the safest default. Convert "42" to 42 in your own code if your application needs numeric types.
Can it handle line breaks inside a cell?
Yes. Line breaks inside quoted fields are part of the CSV standard, and the parser keeps them inside the same field rather than splitting the row.