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

Source: https://listplus.ai/en/help/lists-and-import/import-file-details
Last updated: 2026-10-17

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](https://listplus.ai/en/help/lists-and-import/create-list-and-import-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.