How to Save a UTF-8 CSV File in Excel for Mac
Question details
The user needs to export a spreadsheet as a CSV file with UTF-8 encoding, but cannot find the option in their current version of Excel for Mac.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel for Mac
- Device & OS
- Mac
- Scenario
- Exporting spreadsheet data to a CSV file while preserving special characters using UTF-8 encoding.
- Observed behavior
- The CSV UTF-8 export option is entirely missing from the Save As file format dropdown in Excel for Mac version 15.26.
Ensure your Mac is connected to the internet so you can check for and download the latest software updates for Microsoft Office.
Update Excel for Mac to Version 15.29 or Later
The most effective way to resolve this issue is by updating Excel, as native CSV UTF-8 support was introduced in version 15.29.
Older versions of Excel for Mac (like 15.26) lack native support for saving directly to CSV UTF-8. By installing the latest updates, the option is automatically integrated into your Save As menu.
Open Microsoft Excel on your Mac. Click on the 'Help' menu at the top of the screen and select 'Check for Updates'.
Follow the on-screen prompts in the Microsoft AutoUpdate tool to download and install updates. Ensure your Excel reaches at least version 15.29.
Once updated, open the spreadsheet you want to export. Go to 'File' and click 'Save As...'.
Click the 'File Format' dropdown menu and select 'CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (.csv)', then click 'Save'.
Export as UTF-16 and Convert Manually
If you cannot immediately update Excel, you can use a manual workaround by exporting your file as UTF-16 text and converting the encoding using a text editor.
Easily Save CSV Files with UTF-8 Encoding Using WPS Office
WPS Office is a free, powerful office suite for Mac that natively supports saving and exporting your spreadsheets in UTF-8 CSV format, allowing you to bypass update issues on older software.
- 1. Install WPS Office: Download and install the free WPS Office suite for Mac from the official website.
- 2. Open your spreadsheet: Launch WPS Spreadsheets and open your existing Excel workbook.
- 3. Access the Save As menu: Click the 'Menu' button in the top left corner, then select 'Save As'.
- 4. Choose CSV UTF-8 format: In the file type dropdown menu, select 'CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv)' and verify that UTF-8 encoding is applied before saving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the CSV UTF-8 option missing in my Excel for Mac?
Microsoft officially added native support for saving as a CSV UTF-8 file in Excel for Mac starting from version 15.29. If you are using an older build like 15.26, this feature simply does not exist in the software yet.
What happens if I save as a standard CSV instead of CSV UTF-8?
Saving as a standard CSV without UTF-8 encoding can cause special characters, accented letters, and non-English text to appear corrupted or as question marks when the file is opened in other applications.
Can I easily import a UTF-8 CSV back into Excel on Mac?
Yes, but double-clicking the file may cause Excel to default to ANSI encoding. It is recommended to use the 'Data' > 'Get Data' (or 'From Text/CSV') import wizard to explicitly define the origin encoding as UTF-8.
