Remove Special Characters from CSV Data
Unwanted symbols in a CSV can interfere with imports, matching, or downstream systems that accept only a limited set of characters. This online tool removes characters outside its supported set from every parsed field. Open a CSV, TSV, or text file, or paste delimited data; review the result before downloading a cleaned CSV copy.
Letters from Unicode writing systems, numbers, whitespace, periods, commas, at signs, underscores, and hyphens are kept. Other punctuation and symbols are removed. The same rule applies to the first row of headings and to the data rows.
Which Characters Stay and Which Are Removed?
The tool keeps Unicode letters and numbers, whitespace, and these common characters: . , @ _ -. Other characters are deleted from each cell. For example, parentheses, slashes, colons, currency symbols, plus signs, and emoji are removed.
| Original value | After cleaning | Why |
|---|---|---|
José (Sr.) | José Sr. | Letters and periods stay; parentheses are removed. |
user@example.com | user@example.com | Letters, at sign, and period are supported. |
Order #102/23 | Order 10223 | The hash and slash are deleted, with no replacement character. |
+1 (555) 012-34 | 1 555 012-34 | Plus sign and parentheses are removed; spaces and hyphen stay. |
東京-5 | 東京-5 | Unicode letters, numbers, and hyphens are kept. |
Because removed characters are deleted rather than replaced, two parts of a value may join together, as in 102/23 becoming 10223. Check the preview carefully if punctuation carries meaning in your data.
How to Clean Special Characters from a CSV
- Select Browse CSV File or drop a CSV, TSV, or plain-text file into the upload area. You can also paste delimited data into the text box.
- Review the headings and sample values so you can decide whether the supported character set fits your use.
- Select Remove Special Characters. Review the preview and row and column counts.
- Select Download Cleaned CSV to save the full result as a separate CSV file.
The tool uses one rule for every field. It does not let you choose a custom character set or replace removed characters with another symbol.
What Happens to Spaces, Headings, and CSV Quotes?
Whitespace characters are preserved, including spaces between words. Removing punctuation next to spaces can leave repeated spaces, and deleting a symbol between two characters can join them. This tool does not trim values or collapse extra spaces; use the Trim CSV Whitespace or Remove Extra Spaces tool if you need those separate changes.
Column headings are cleaned just like other values. If a heading contains a symbol that the rule removes, the heading in the output changes too. The tool keeps the same rows and columns; it does not remove empty rows or columns.
CSV and TSV are parsed before character cleanup, so quoted fields containing commas or line breaks remain fields during processing. The output is serialized as comma-separated CSV, with quotation marks added where needed. The tool does not validate field types or whether each row matches a schema.
Preview and Download the Cleaned CSV
The result summary shows the data-row and column counts before and after processing. The on-page preview is shortened at about 7,000 characters for long results, but the downloaded file contains the complete output.
The output is a new comma-separated .csv file, including when the original was TSV or TXT. CSV does not retain spreadsheet styling, formulas, or multiple worksheets. Your original file is not overwritten.
REMOVE SPECIAL CHARACTERS FAQ
Questions About Cleaning CSV Characters
Which punctuation does the tool keep?
It keeps periods, commas, at signs, underscores, hyphens, and whitespace, along with Unicode letters and numbers. Other punctuation and symbols are removed.
Will it keep accented and non-English letters?
Yes. The rule preserves Unicode letters and numbers, including accented letters and characters used in other writing systems.
Are symbols replaced with spaces?
No. Unsupported characters are deleted. If a symbol separates two characters, those characters may join together, so check the preview before downloading.
Are column headings changed?
Yes. Headings are part of the first parsed row and are cleaned with the same character rule as data cells.
Does the tool trim or collapse whitespace?
No. Whitespace is kept as-is. This tool does not trim outer spaces or collapse repeated spaces.
Can I paste data or use a TSV file?
Yes. Paste delimited data or open CSV, TSV, and TXT files up to 50 MB. The downloaded result is a CSV.
Does it remove rows or columns?
No. It removes unsupported characters inside fields but keeps the rows and columns in place.
Are my files uploaded?
No. The file is read and processed in your browser; its contents are not sent to a server.
Supported Files and Privacy
Use CSV, TSV, or plain-text delimited files up to 50 MB, or paste text into the input. Processing happens in your browser. Large files may take longer depending on your device and available memory.
Related CSV Tools
Use Trim CSV Whitespace to remove edge spaces, Remove Extra Spaces to collapse repeated spaces, or the CSV Cleaner for several cleanup actions. Browse all CSV tools for more options.