{"id":16529,"date":"2026-03-18T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/?p=16529"},"modified":"2026-03-17T04:21:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T03:21:15","slug":"import-csv-qgis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/import-csv-qgis\/","title":{"rendered":"[EN]Importing a CSV file into QGIS: A simple guide to avoiding errors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

To import a CSV in QGIS, use \u201cAdd Delimited Text Layer\u201d, select the file, and define X\/Y coordinates.<\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\nImporting a CSV file into QGIS is a very common task when working with geographic data. Coordinates can come from a spreadsheet, a GPS device, a field survey, or even an export from a database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In most cases, it only takes a few clicks to import a CSV into QGIS and create a point layer from the coordinates. However, certain errors are common: incorrect delimiter, character encoding issues, misinterpreted coordinates, or reversed latitude\/longitude order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we\u2019ll look at how to correctly import a CSV file into QGIS and how to avoid the most common problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This method works in recent versions of QGIS 3 and QGIS 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\nContenu <\/p>\nToggle<\/span>
1.Prepare the CSV file<\/a><\/li>
2. Check the file separator<\/a><\/li>
3. Check the character encoding<\/a><\/li>
4. Import the CSV into QGIS<\/a><\/li>
5. Check the results<\/a><\/li>
FAQ<\/a><\/li>
Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<\/span>1.Prepare the CSV file<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBefore importing into QGIS, it is important to check the file structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example of a CSV table:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
id<\/th> name<\/th> latitude<\/th> longitude<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
1<\/td> Site A<\/td> -20.3484<\/td> 57.5522<\/td><\/tr>
2<\/td> Site B<\/td> -20.2201<\/td> 57.4635<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\nImportant points:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nThe first row must contain the field names<\/li>\n\n\n\n
The coordinates must be in two separate columns<\/li>\n\n\n\n
The values must be numeric<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nexemple de fichier  csv<\/a>T\u00e9l\u00e9charger<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/span>2. Check the file separator<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nCSV files typically use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\na comma (,) in English-speaking countries<\/li>\n\n\n\na semicolon (;) in many European countries<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nIf the separator is incorrect, QGIS may read the entire line as a single field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this case, open the file in a text editor to check the separator being used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coordinates must use a period (.) as the decimal separator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your spreadsheet uses a comma, the coordinates may be interpreted as text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/span>3. Check the character encoding<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nTo avoid issues with accents or special characters, it is recommended that you save the CSV file in UTF-8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In most spreadsheet programs (LibreOffice, Excel), you can select UTF-8 when exporting the file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/span>4. Import the CSV into QGIS<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn QGIS:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nLayer Menu<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Add Layer<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\nAdd Delimited Text Layer<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nNext, select your CSV file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIn the import window:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nSelect the correct delimiter<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Geometry type: point<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Select the longitude (X) and latitude (Y) fields<\/li>\n\n\n\nSelect the coordinate system (usually WGS84 \u2013 EPSG:4326<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nThen click Add<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nQGIS then creates a point layer based on the coordinates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/span>5. Check the results<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOnce the layer is loaded:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\ncheck that the points appear in the correct locations<\/li>\n\n\n\n
check the attribute table<\/li>\n\n\n\nmake sure the coordinates are interpreted correctly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIf the points appear in an unexpected location (for example, off the coast of Africa), this is often due to a projection<\/a> or coordinate system issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/span>FAQ<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe CSV file imports, but no points appear<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make sure the latitude and longitude columns contain numbers, not text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All fields appear in a single column<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The file separator is likely not being detected correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Points appear in the wrong location<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nthe coordinate order (latitude \/ longitude)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
the selected coordinate system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nPoints appear on the equator or off the coast of Africa<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
This often means that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nlatitude and longitude are reversed<\/li>\n\n\n\n
or that the coordinates are interpreted as text.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/span>Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nImporting a CSV file into QGIS is a simple process, but it requires checking a few essential elements: delimiter, encoding, and coordinates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once these elements have been verified, it becomes very easy to transform a data table into a usable geographic layer in QGIS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a future article, we will see how to append a CSV file to an existing layer in QGIS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"To import a CSV in QGIS, use \u201cAdd Delimited Text Layer\u201d, select the file, and define X\/Y coordinates. Importing a CSV file into QGIS is a very common task when working with geographic data. Coordinates can…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16524,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1377,4566],"tags":[4510,2817,1386],"class_list":["post-16529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-qgis-en","category-tutorial","tag-csv-en","tag-import-en","tag-qgis-en"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t