Convert JSON to Excel Without Code — Power Query vs Browser Converter

You have a JSON file and need the data in an Excel spreadsheet. You do not want to write Python, use the command line, or install anything. There are two no-code paths: Excel Power Query (built into Excel 2016+) and converting JSON to CSV in a browser first. Here is exactly how to do both.

Method 1: Browser Converter (Fastest — Any Excel Version)

This works with every version of Excel, Google Sheets, and LibreOffice Calc. No Power Query needed.

1. Open the JSON to CSV Converter
2. Paste your JSON data (or load a .json file)
3. Click Convert — nested objects automatically flatten with dot-notation column names
4. Click Download CSV
5. Double-click the downloaded .csv file — Excel opens it automatically
6. If you need .xlsx format: File → Save As → choose "Excel Workbook (.xlsx)"

Total time: About 30 seconds. Works offline after the tool page loads. Your data never leaves your browser.

Method 2: Excel Power Query (Built-In, Refreshable)

Requirements: Excel 2016 or later. Not available in Excel Online (web) or older versions.

Step-by-step:

1. Open Excel → Data tab → Get Data → From File → From JSON
2. Select your .json file and click Import
3. The Power Query Editor opens showing your data structure
4. If you see "Record" in cells: Click the two-arrow expand icon on that column header. Select which fields to include. Click OK. New columns appear with the nested field values.
5. If you see "List" in cells: Right-click the column → Expand to New Rows. Each array item becomes its own row.
6. Repeat steps 4-5 for every column still showing "Record" or "List"
7. Click Close & Load to insert the data into your worksheet

The advantage: The query is saved. Next time you update the JSON file, right-click the table and hit Refresh. Same transform, new data, zero manual work.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Browser Converter → CSV → Excel	Excel Power Query
Excel version required	Any version (opens CSV)	2016 or later only
Setup time	✓ Zero — paste and click	~5-10 minutes first time
Handles nested JSON	✓ Automatic dot-notation flattening	✓ Manual click-to-expand
Handles arrays	✓ Joined into cells or expanded	✓ Expand to New Rows
Refreshable / reusable	✗ Manual each time	✓ Save query, click Refresh
Works with Google Sheets	✓ Yes (open CSV in Sheets)	✗ No — Excel only
Works with LibreOffice	✓ Yes (open CSV in Calc)	✗ No — Excel only
Data privacy	✓ Processed in browser only	✓ Processed locally in Excel
Learning curve	✓ None	~Moderate (expand/transform UI)

The Nested JSON Problem

Flat JSON (an array of simple objects) converts to Excel cleanly — each field becomes a column. The problem starts with nested data:

• Nested objects: {"user": {"name": "Alex", "email": "[email protected]"}} — Excel cannot display this in one cell meaningfully. Power Query shows "Record." The browser converter creates columns named user.name and user.email.
• Arrays of primitives: {"tags": ["red", "blue"]} — Power Query shows "List." The browser converter joins them: "red, blue" in one cell.
• Arrays of objects: {"orders": [{"id": 1}, {"id": 2}]} — This is the hardest case. Power Query can expand to new rows (duplicating parent data per child). The browser converter creates orders.0.id and orders.1.id columns.

For moderately nested JSON (1-2 levels), both methods work well. For deeply nested JSON (3+ levels), the browser converter is actually easier because it handles all flattening automatically — no repeated clicking through Power Query expand dialogs.

Excel Gotchas With JSON Data

• Long number truncation: Excel truncates numbers longer than 15 digits. JSON IDs, phone numbers, and transaction IDs get corrupted. Fix: import the CSV via Data → From Text and set those columns to Text type before loading.
• Date recognition: Excel may auto-format date-like strings. "01-02-03" could become January 2, 2003. If your JSON has dates in unusual formats, check them after import.
• Encoding: If accented characters or emojis appear garbled, the CSV is UTF-8 but Excel is reading it as ANSI. Open via Data → From Text and select UTF-8 encoding explicitly.
• CSV comma conflicts: If your JSON values contain commas (like addresses: "123 Main St, Suite 4"), proper CSV encoding wraps them in quotes. If Excel splits them wrong, the CSV was not generated correctly.

From JSON to a Polished Spreadsheet

• JSON to CSV Converter — first step: get clean CSV from JSON
• JSON Formatter — validate your JSON before converting (catches syntax errors)
• CSV to Excel — convert CSV to .xlsx format directly
• Excel Viewer — preview data before opening in Excel
• Remove Duplicate Rows — clean up after array expansion creates duplicates
• CSV Column Mapper — rename dot-notation columns to friendlier names
• CSV Row Filter — filter rows before importing into Excel