File import details (encoding, sheets, JSON shapes, size limit)

Updated October 17, 2026Markdown

This article covers the technical details behind a file import — what happens automatically, and what you can adjust. For the step-by-step import flow, see "Create a list and import a file."

Encoding and delimiters are automatic#

ListPlus detects your file's character encoding automatically (falling back through UTF-8, ISO-8859-1 and Windows-1252 if needed), so accented or non-Latin characters from older exports come through correctly without you choosing an encoding. For CSV, TSV and TXT files, the delimiter (comma, semicolon, tab or pipe) is also detected automatically — there's no manual picker for either setting.

Excel: picking a sheet or table#

If your Excel file (.xlsx, .xlsm, .xls) has more than one worksheet with data, or more than one named table, a Select a Table or Worksheet step lists them so you can pick which one to import. With a single sheet, it's imported directly. If a worksheet has no named tables, a note says the entire sheet will be imported; a worksheet with no data is flagged as empty so you don't end up with a list that has no columns.

JSON shapes ListPlus understands#

The straightforward case is a JSON array of objects, one object per row — that's what ListPlus expects by default. It also handles a few looser shapes: a plain array of values (each value becomes a row in a value column, plus an original_index column), an array that is at least 80% objects (the objects are imported, the rest skipped), and a single JSON object with an array of objects as one of its top-level properties (the first such array is imported). A JSON value with no array at the top level, such as a single flat object, can't be turned into a list.

Size limit and formats#

Every file type — Excel, CSV, TSV, TXT and JSON — is limited to 100 MB, checked as soon as you select the file, both in your browser and on the server. One list holds at most 50,000 rows: a larger file is cut to 50,000 with a warning, and you import the rest into a second list. Your plan's overall record limit applies on top (see "What is the record limit?").

Dropping a file, and skipping a column#

Dropping a .csv, .xlsx, .xls or .json file anywhere on the Home page jumps straight into the New List wizard with that file attached — an unsupported file type shows "Please select a CSV, Excel, or JSON file" instead. In the preview step, if you don't want a column imported, click the three-dot (⋯) button in that column's header and choose Ignore column — the column is left out of the list ListPlus creates.

Related topics: create-list-and-import-file · record-limit · column-detection · linkedin-imports.

FAQ#

Do I need to tell ListPlus my file's character encoding?#

No — ListPlus detects the encoding automatically (falling back through UTF-8, ISO-8859-1 and Windows-1252), so there's no manual setting to get wrong on older exports with accented characters.

Does ListPlus know which delimiter my CSV or TSV file uses?#

Yes, it detects the delimiter — comma, semicolon, tab or pipe — automatically from the file; TXT files are parsed the same way as CSV and TSV.

My Excel file has multiple tabs — which one gets imported?#

If your file has more than one worksheet with data, or more than one named table, a Select a Table or Worksheet step lets you pick which one to import; with a single sheet, it's imported directly, and if no named tables are found, the whole sheet is imported instead.

What happens if I try to import an empty worksheet?#

ListPlus flags it as an empty worksheet so you're not left with a list that has no columns; pick a different sheet or table in the same step.

What JSON structure can I import?#

A JSON array of objects — one object per row — is the standard shape. ListPlus also accepts a single object with an array of objects at the top level (it imports the first one) and an array that is at least 80% objects (the objects are imported, the rest skipped); a JSON value with no array at the top level can't become a list.

Is there a file size limit for imports?#

Yes, 100 MB per file, for every supported format (Excel, CSV, TSV, TXT and JSON) — checked as soon as you select the file. One list holds at most 50,000 rows, so a larger file is cut to 50,000 with a warning — import the rest into a second list. Your plan's overall record limit applies on top.

Which files can I drop onto the Home page?#

Dropping onto Home accepts .csv, .xlsx, .xls and .json files. For .xlsm, .tsv or .txt files, click New List and choose the file under Import a file. Dropping them on Home shows "Please select a CSV, Excel, or JSON file".

How do I stop one column from being imported?#

In the preview step, click the three-dot (⋯) button in that column's header and choose Ignore column — it's left out of the list ListPlus creates, and the rest of your file imports normally.