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.
Batch Settings
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.
还在为Excel文件分享到微信群里格式全乱，或者导入某些国产游戏数据工具时总出错而烦恼吗？当您面对一个满是数据的XLS或XLSX表格，却需要一个更轻量、更通用、更易于程序处理的文本格式时，TSV（制表符分隔值）无疑是您的理想选择。它以纯文本的形式，用制表符清晰地分隔每一列数据，不仅体积小巧，传输快捷，更重要的是，它在各种系统和应用间拥有极佳的兼容性。无论是进行数据清洗、批量导入导出，还是与各种数据分析工具无缝对接，将复杂的电子表格转换为简洁的TSV，都能让您的数据处理工作变得更加顺畅高效，省去不必要的麻烦。
- 微信小程序数据导入
- 游戏本地化文本转换
- 电商平台商品信息批量更新
在中国大陆及周边地区，许多本土软件和在线服务（尤其是小程序后台、游戏开发工具）更倾向于接受TSV或CSV这类纯文本格式的数据，以避免Excel版本兼容性问题。
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
Choose your XLS file
Upload your .xls file using drag-and-drop or the file browser. Batch mode lets you add multiple files.
- 2
Set format to TSV
Select .tsv from the output options. The converter applies optimal quality settings automatically.
- 3
Run the conversion
Click Convert. Server-side processing means your device stays fast — even for large spreadsheet files.
- 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.
Your XLS file is uploaded and the format is validated
The file content is decoded into its raw representation
The data is re-encoded in TSV format with optimal settings
The converted file is ready for download
XLS vs TSV — Detailed Comparison
| Feature | .XLS | .TSV |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Microsoft Excel Legacy | Tab-Separated Values |
| Compression | None (uncompressed) | None (uncompressed) |
| Typical File Size | 50 KB–50 MB | 1 KB–100 MB |
| Platform Support | Universal | Universal |
| Browser Support | none | none |
| Year Created | 1987 | 1967 |
| Open Standard | No | Yes |
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.
Versions are pinned in our worker Dockerfile and re-built via CI on every change.