In this article
IMPORTTEXT (2026) loads a .txt, .csv or .tsv file into a refreshable dynamic array with one formula, with options for delimiter, encoding and rows to skip. A lighter alternative to Power Query for simple imports.
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Syntax
=IMPORTTEXT(path, [delimiter], [skip_rows], [take_rows], [encoding], [locale])| Argument | What it means |
|---|---|
path |
File path or URL |
delimiter |
e.g. “,” or “|” |
skip_rows |
Header/junk lines to skip |
Examples
Example 1
=IMPORTTEXT(A2,",")Result: (spills the file's rows and columns). See the worked example table below for more cases.
IMPORTTEXT in practice
Where you will use it
- Pulling a daily bank or ERP export into a sheet
- Reading pipe-separated files
- Quick refreshable imports without Power Query
Worked example
| File | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|
| D:\Data\sales.csv | =IMPORTTEXT(A2,",") | (spills the file's rows and columns) |
| D:\Data\erp.txt | =IMPORTTEXT(A3,"|",1) | (spills the file's rows and columns) |
| D:\Dataranch.csv | =IMPORTTEXT(A4,",",3) | (spills the file's rows and columns) |
Not calculated here: IMPORTTEXT needs the latest Microsoft 365 (rolling out from 2026). The result shown is what it returns.
Mistakes people make
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Files that change shape | Downstream formulas break; refer to columns by header with XLOOKUP/CHOOSECOLS |
| Large files | Use Power Query for heavy cleaning or millions of rows |
Related functions
IMPORTCSV · TEXTSPLIT
📚 Part of the free Excel course: Beginner → Expert · Try it in the Formula Lab or ask the AI Helper.
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