TransformaHow to Convert Excel to CSV on iPhone
Need to extract data from an Excel spreadsheet on your iPhone without a Microsoft 365 subscription? CSV is the universal plain-text format that every data tool, database, and programming language can read. Transforma converts XLSX to RFC 4180-compliant CSV directly on your device, evaluating formulas to their computed values and formatting dates in ISO 8601 for maximum compatibility.
Quick Answer
Open Transforma, select your XLSX file, tap CSV as the output format, choose the sheet you want to export, and save. Formulas are evaluated to their computed values, and the output is RFC 4180-compliant CSV.
Why You Might Need This
- CSV is the universal data interchange format — every database, analytics tool, and programming language can import it without specialized libraries.
- Sharing Excel files requires the recipient to have a compatible spreadsheet app, while CSV opens in any text editor or data tool.
- Importing data into web applications, CRM systems, and databases almost always requires CSV format rather than XLSX.
- CSV files are significantly smaller than XLSX since they contain only raw data without formatting, styles, charts, or embedded objects.
- Automating data pipelines and ETL processes is simpler with CSV since it's a plain-text format with no binary encoding.
Step by Step
Open Transforma and select your XLSX file
Launch Transforma and select the Excel file you want to convert. You can pick it from the Files app, email attachments, or any connected cloud storage like iCloud Drive or Dropbox.
Tap CSV as the output format
Select CSV as your target format. Transforma will parse the spreadsheet structure, evaluate all formulas to their computed values, and prepare the data for plain-text export.
Choose the sheet to export
If your workbook contains multiple sheets, select the one you want to convert. Each sheet exports as a separate CSV file since the CSV format doesn't support multiple tabs.
Save the CSV file
Tap Save to export the CSV. Dates are formatted in ISO 8601 (YYYY-MM-DD) for universal compatibility, commas within data are properly quoted per RFC 4180, and all formatting is cleanly discarded.
Tips for Best Results
- Only one sheet is exported per CSV file — if your workbook has multiple tabs, convert each sheet separately or select the one with the data you need.
- All formulas (SUM, VLOOKUP, IF, etc.) are evaluated and exported as their computed values, so the CSV contains the actual data rather than formula references.
- Commas, quotes, and newlines within cell data are properly escaped using RFC 4180 quoting rules, so your data imports cleanly into any tool.
- Merged cells are flattened to their display values — the content appears in the top-left cell of the merged range, and empty strings fill the remaining cells.
- Dates are exported in ISO 8601 format (2026-03-14) rather than locale-specific formats, ensuring consistent parsing across different systems and regions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Excel formulas preserved in the CSV?
Formulas are converted to their computed values. For example, a cell containing =SUM(A1:A10) will show the calculated total (like 1500) in the CSV output. CSV is a plain-text format that doesn't support formulas, so the actual results are the most useful representation.
What about workbooks with multiple sheets?
CSV doesn't support multiple sheets, so you select which sheet to export. If you need all sheets, convert each one separately. Transforma shows you the available sheet names so you can pick the right one.
Are special characters and commas handled correctly?
Yes. Transforma produces RFC 4180-compliant CSV output. Fields containing commas, double quotes, or newlines are automatically wrapped in double quotes, and any double quotes within data are escaped by doubling them. This ensures clean imports into any standards-compliant tool.
How are dates formatted in the CSV output?
Dates are exported in ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD), which is the international standard for date representation. This avoids ambiguity between US (MM/DD/YYYY) and European (DD/MM/YYYY) formats and ensures dates parse correctly in any system.
Try It Yourself with Transforma
Download Transforma and convert your first file in seconds.
