TSV to JSON
Convert tab-separated data, including what you get when copying cells from Excel or Google Sheets, into JSON. The first row provides the keys, numbers and booleans can be typed, the \t and \n escape sequences used by many TSV exporters are decoded, and you can choose an array of objects, an array of arrays or an object of columns.
- Runs in your browser
- No sign-up
- Free to use
How to use TSV to JSON
- Paste TSV, or copy cells from a spreadsheet and paste them.
- Choose the JSON shape and typing.
- Check the row count and warnings.
- Copy or download the JSON.
TSV to JSON features
Spreadsheet paste
Copied cells arrive as tabs and line breaks, ready to convert.
Three shapes
Objects, arrays or columns.
Typing
Numbers and booleans become JSON types; leading zeros stay text.
Escapes
Decodes \t, \n, \r and \ used by TSV exporters.
Honest parsing
Follows plain TSV rules and warns about quoted or ragged data.
Local
Converted in your browser.
When to use TSV to JSON
- Turning a block of spreadsheet cells into JSON for code or an API.
- Converting bioinformatics or database exports that use TSV.
- Preparing fixtures from a team spreadsheet.
- Getting column arrays for a chart library.
TSV to JSON FAQ
How is TSV different from CSV?
TSV separates fields with tabs and, in its standard form, has no quoting: fields simply cannot contain tabs or line breaks. Exporters often encode them as \t and \n instead, which this tool decodes.
Why are my quotes kept?
Plain TSV does not use quotes, so a quote is part of the value. If your file is really CSV with tab delimiters, use the CSV to JSON tool, which understands quoting.
What is the “object of columns” shape?
An object with one array per column, such as {"price": [39.9, 249]}, which suits charting libraries and column-oriented code.
What about rows with missing fields?
Missing fields become empty strings and the number of such rows is reported.
Can I convert JSON to TSV?
Yes, with the JSON to TSV tool.
Is my data uploaded?
No. Everything runs in your browser.
Tab-separated values
Tab-separated values are the quiet workhorse of data exchange. Spreadsheets put tab-separated text on the clipboard when cells are copied, databases and scientific tools export TSV because tabs rarely occur in data, and the format’s rules are simpler than CSV’s: one record per line, fields separated by a tab, no quoting.
That simplicity means TSV cannot contain tabs or line breaks inside a field. Programs that need them use backslash escapes instead, writing \t for a tab and \n for a line break, a convention followed by MySQL, PostgreSQL’s text format and many scientific tools. The converter decodes these escapes by default, and the option can be switched off when backslashes are meant literally.
The first row is taken as the header. Each following row becomes an object with those keys, or an array, or contributes to per-column arrays, depending on the chosen shape. Rows with fewer fields than the header get empty strings for the missing ones, and rows of a different length are counted so that misaligned data does not go unnoticed.
Typing turns numeric text into JSON numbers and true or false into booleans, but leaves values alone when conversion would lose information, such as leading zeros in codes or integers larger than JavaScript can represent exactly. Without typing, every value stays a string.
When a file uses quotes around fields, it is probably CSV with a tab delimiter rather than TSV. The converter keeps the quotes, as the TSV rules require, and points to the CSV to JSON tool, which handles quoted fields.