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XLS vs TSV — Comparison & Free Converter

Fast, instant XLS to TSV conversion. No signup required. Just drop your .xls file and get .tsv in seconds.

256-bit TLS encryptionFiles deleted in 24hNo signup required

Some metadata may not survive

Your XLS file may contain OLE properties metadata. TSV has limited or no support for these metadata types. Location data (GPS), camera settings, and color profiles may be stripped during conversion.

日々の業務でExcel(XLS形式)ファイルを扱う中で、「このデータを、もっとシンプルで汎用性の高い形式に変換できたら…」と感じることはありませんか?特に、異なるシステム間でのデータ連携や、プログラミングでの処理を考えると、余分な情報を含まないTSV(タブ区切り形式)の利便性は際立ちます。まるで、豪華な装丁の書籍から、情報だけを抽出して手帳にメモするようなもの。当社の変換ツールは、複雑なExcelファイルから必要なデータだけを正確に抽出し、軽量かつ扱いやすいTSV形式へとスムーズに変換します。文字化けの心配も少なく、縦書き文化に馴染み深い日本だからこそ、文字データの正確な取り扱いには特に気を配っております。煩雑な手作業はもう不要です。大切なデータを、より自由に、より多くの場所で活用するためのお手伝いをいたします。

  • 会計ソフトへのデータ移行
  • 同人イベントの顧客リスト管理
  • 社内システム連携用データ作成

日本のビジネスシーンでは、Excelファイルに罫線や色、結合セルなど多くの装飾が施されていることが頻繁にあります。TSV変換ではこれらが失われますが、純粋なデータ活用という点ではむしろ好都合な場合が多いです。

About XLS to TSV Conversion

XLS or TSV — which format should you use? The answer depends on your needs. Here's a quick breakdown.

XLS is the legacy Excel format (pre-2007) — still encountered in business workflows. It has universal platform support. TSV (Tab-Separated Values) uses tabs instead of commas, avoiding issues with comma-containing data. It has universal platform support.

Full Name: XLS uses Microsoft Excel Legacy, while TSV uses Tab-Separated Values. Compression: XLS uses None (uncompressed), while TSV uses None (uncompressed). Typical File Size: XLS uses 50 KB–50 MB, while TSV uses 1 KB–100 MB.

So when should you convert XLS to TSV? This conversion is ideal when you You need maximum device and software compatibility. This conversion helps you convert between formats quickly.

Converting XLS to TSV maintains high quality with CocoConvert's optimised encoder settings.

If you've decided TSV is the right choice, CocoConvert makes the conversion effortless. Upload your .xls file, pick TSV, and click Convert — done in seconds. The converter runs on secure servers in Germany, powered by FFmpeg, Sharp, and qpdf. Files are encrypted via TLS and erased within 24 hours.

Free tier: 5 files/hour, 250 MB each. Pro: 100 files/hour, 5 GB each. Works in every modern browser on desktop and mobile.

How to Convert XLS to TSV

  1. 1

    Choose your XLS file

    Upload your .xls file using drag-and-drop or the file browser. Batch mode lets you add multiple files.

  2. 2

    Set format to TSV

    Select .tsv from the output options. The converter applies optimal quality settings automatically.

  3. 3

    Run the conversion

    Click Convert. Server-side processing means your device stays fast — even for large spreadsheet files.

  4. 4

    Get your TSV file

    Download your converted file instantly. Batch downloads are available as a zip archive.

What Happens When You Convert XLS to TSV

Your XLS file is decoded and re-encoded as TSV.

1

Your XLS file is uploaded and the format is validated

2

The file content is decoded into its raw representation

3

The data is re-encoded in TSV format with optimal settings

4

The converted file is ready for download

XLS vs TSV — Detailed Comparison

Feature.XLS.TSV
Full NameMicrosoft Excel LegacyTab-Separated Values
CompressionNone (uncompressed)None (uncompressed)
Typical File Size50 KB–50 MB1 KB–100 MB
Platform SupportUniversalUniversal
Browser Supportnonenone
Year Created19871967
Open StandardNoYes

Should You Convert XLS to TSV?

When to Convert

  • You need maximum device and software compatibility

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use XLS or TSV?

It depends on your goal. XLS preserves full quality. TSV preserves full quality. Choose based on whether file size or quality matters more for your use case.

Is TSV higher quality than XLS?

Not necessarily. Converting XLS to TSV maintains high quality with CocoConvert's optimised encoder settings. Quality depends on the compression type and settings, not just the format name.

Can I convert XLS to TSV on Mac and Windows?

Yes. CocoConvert is a web-based tool that works in all modern browsers — Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge — on any operating system including macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android.

Is CocoConvert free for XLS to TSV?

Yes. Free users get 5 conversions per hour (250 MB each). Pro subscribers unlock 100 files per hour, 5 GB per file, and priority processing.

What tools does CocoConvert use for XLS to TSV?

CocoConvert uses FFmpeg for audio/video, Sharp for images, and qpdf for documents — the same open-source libraries used by Netflix, YouTube, and major enterprise platforms.

Powered by — installed on our conversion workers
LibreOffice 25.x (headless)

Versions are pinned in our worker Dockerfile and re-built via CI on every change.