how to combine / merge multiple CSV or excel files (for mac & pc)

Here in the “we work on computers” industry, we’re always dealing with CSVs – combining, cleaning, analyzing, crying in front of – you name it.

So, allow me make it just one micron less painful for you – by show you how to combine CSVs together in a matter of seconds.

How do i combine multiple files into one file?

Relax! I’m getting there..

Just kidding – i just needed to stuff that keyword phrase to pick up a couple more terms for SEO purposes.

But actually there’s a few ways to do it:

• Merge CSVs at the command line (how we are going to do it today)
• Merge CSVs with a free csv merge tool I made for ya
• Merge CSVs with python
• Merge CSVs by smashing them together with hulk hands (not a real method)

In this article (and video) I will show you how to quickly & easily combine and merge multiple CSV files into one CSV file for free on a mac using the terminal — but it also works on PCs.

If you run into any problems – we even created a free tool that you can try.

So follow along, and start combining!

Update: Back in the day I shot a video about how to do this manually on a mac, and it still works. But since then we’ve had a lot of people ask about doing it on a PC.

So we actually just made a tool that combines CSVs for you.

And it’s way faster than the manual method.

And it’s free.

👉 Here’s a link to the tool for all you lazies who don’t wanna read or watch a video: https://serp.co/tools/combine-csv-files/

If this was helpful, subscribe to the yt channel. i’m going to be making a lot more videos that will help you be more productive, faster on a computer, and make your life suck less 🙂

> click here to subscribe to the yt channel

If you have multiple CSV or Excel files that you need combined, follow this simple process to get them combined in a flash, using the built in “terminal” on your Mac.

👉 Bookmark this FREE SOP (checklist) that you can run anytime you need to combine more CSVs: devin.to/csv-sop

Step 1 – Create a new folder

Create a new folder on your Desktop & put all of your CSV files into the folder.

I will call mine “combine”.

It will look like this:

Step 2 – Open Terminal (aka “the shell” or “the command line”)

The program “Terminal” is located in your “Applications” folder under “Utilities”

Applications > Utilities > Terminal

Open Terminal.

It will look like this:

Step 3 – Print Working Directory

This is a fancy name. Don’t worry about it, just follow the steps.

1. Type: pwd
2. Hit the return key

pwd

It will look like this:

pwd means “print working directory”. It’s showing you what “directory” (aka folder) you are currently at on your operating system. Don’t worry about it. Just keep following along.

Step 4 – Choose the folder you created

Set your “directory” to the folder you created that has your CSV files in it.

1. type: cd /Users/devin/Desktop/combine <== obviously replace “devin” with your name… unless your name is devin.
2. hit the return key

Note: you will need to change your file path so it matches your username & folder name

Step 5 – Merge the files

Now you are ready to merge your files.

1. type: cat *.csv >combined.csv
2. hit the return key

It will look like this:

Step 6 – Check your folder

If you followed along correctly, you are done!

Inside your folder there will be a file called “combined.csv”, which contains all of your csv files combined together.

Note: you might have to delete the duplicate header columns though.

Just apply a filter to your entire sheet, and sort A-Z on column A and you should see them.

It will look like this:

Final thoughts

👉 Bookmark this FREE SOP (checklist) that you can run anytime you need to combine more CSVs: devin.to/csv-sop

If this was helpful for you – subscribe to the yt channel

I’m going to be making a lot more videos with tips that will help save you time, increase your productivity, and basically make you feel like a hacker… or Neo from the matrix. which is always a good thing.

Cheers & stay funky, my friends.