When to Use CSV Import
CSV import is the fastest way to bring existing vocabulary into WordByWord.io: word lists from another app, a spreadsheet you've kept for years, or a set prepared by your teacher. One file can add up to 10,000 terms to a collection at once.
Where to Find It
Open the collection you want to fill, open the actions menu, and choose Import from CSV. In the dialog, click Choose CSV file, review how many terms will be added, and confirm with Import. Keep the tab open until the import finishes.
File Format
The first row must contain column headers. Two columns are required, the rest are optional:
| Column | Required | Limit |
|---|---|---|
term | Yes | up to 150 characters |
meaning | Yes | up to 150 characters |
example | No | up to 255 characters |
Not sure about the exact structure? Click Download sample CSV in the import dialog — it's a ready-made template with correct headers and language codes. The tooltip next to it lists all supported language codes.
Common Errors
| Message | What it means |
|---|---|
| Missing required headers: term, meaning | The first row doesn't contain the term and meaning headers |
| Term / Meaning is required at row N | An empty cell in a required column — fill it or delete the row |
| Term / Meaning is too long at row N | The 150-character limit is exceeded |
| Invalid language code | The language code isn't supported — check it against the sample file |
| Too many terms | The file has more than 10,000 rows — split it into parts |
The row number in the message matches the row in your file, so errors are easy to locate and fix.
Tips
- Both Anki and Quizlet export to CSV — usually all you need to change is the header row.
- Import related vocabulary into separate topical collections rather than one giant list: smaller collections make training sessions far more focused.
- Excel and Google Sheets sometimes change the delimiter when saving. If the import fails, re-save the file explicitly as CSV (comma-separated).