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excelisfun - How To Import Text File into Excel (4 Examples, including Tab & CSV Files) – Excel Magic Trick 1619

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Author: excelisfun
Categories: Technology Science
Tags: technology, science
Views: 2 · Last viewed: 2026-10-16 00:53 UTC

Short Summary

Main recommendation: Use Excel's Power Query "From Text/CSV" import (Excel 2016 or later) for text files, and the classic Text Import Wizard for older versions, since both let you choose the delimiter and column formats cleanly. The video walks through four import examples, covering tab-delimited and comma-delimited (CSV) text files, plus how to refresh imported data and enable legacy wizards.

Key Points

  • The examples covered in the video:
    1. Importing a tab-delimited .txt file using the classic Text Import Wizard (Excel 2013 or earlier).
    2. Importing the same tab-delimited .txt file using Power Query "From Text/CSV" (Excel 2016 or later).
    3. Importing a comma-delimited (CSV) text file using Power Query.
    4. Enabling and using the legacy three-step wizard in modern Excel ('From Text (Legacy)').
  • Power Query-imported data is loaded as an Excel Table with dynamic ranges, and can be updated later by right-clicking and choosing Refresh.
  • The speaker notes that data imported via the Text Import Wizard also appears under Connections and can be refreshed the same way.

Details Worth Noting

  • Concrete instructions:
    • Excel 2013 or earlier: Go to Data > Get External Data > From Text, select the file, and click Import. In the Text Import Wizard, check "My data has headers," click Next, confirm the tab delimiter and column preview, select the General column data format so dates, numbers, and text are interpreted correctly, then click Finish and OK.
    • Excel 2016 or later: Go to the Data ribbon tab > Get & Transform Data group > From Text/CSV, select the file, and click Import. Confirm the detected delimiter, click Load, then Load To, choose "Table" and "Existing worksheet," and click OK.
    • To refresh Power Query data later: open Queries & Connections (or Connections), right-click the loaded file, and choose Refresh.
    • For a comma-delimited file: click From Text/CSV, import, and confirm the comma delimiter is detected, then Load To and OK.
    • To enable legacy wizards in modern Excel: go to File > Options > Data, then check the legacy options you want (the speaker mentions he personally likes "From Text (Legacy)"), which then appear under Get Data > Legacy Wizards.
  • Example from the video: the sample file contained 5,000 rows loaded via Power Query.
  • The speaker names Power Query as the Get & Transform Data group, and mentions that additional tutorials on Power Query and the legacy method are linked in the video.

Bottom Line

For most modern Excel users, Power Query's From Text/CSV is the more flexible option because it creates a refreshable table, while the legacy wizard remains available if you prefer its familiar three-step process.