- To export a query result, run the query and click Export on the Result tab toolbar, or save the query and choose it in the Export Wizard.
- In the Export Wizard pick the format (CSV, Excel and others), the objects or saved queries, the fields, and options such as Include column titles, delimiters and encoding.
- Navicat Premium Lite exports only text-based formats (TXT, CSV, HTML, XML, SQL and JSON); exporting to Excel needs a paid edition.
- For a quick copy into a spreadsheet, select cells in the grid and copy: Navicat puts tab-separated data on the clipboard, with or without field names.
Navicat export to Excel or CSV: which method
| Method | Best for | Formats |
|---|---|---|
| Export button on the Result tab | The result of the query you just ran | Same as the Export Wizard |
| Export Wizard | Tables, views and saved queries, with full control of options; can be saved as a profile | CSV, TXT, HTML, XML, SQL, JSON; Excel, DBF and Parquet in paid editions |
| Copy from the data grid | A few rows pasted into a spreadsheet or email | Tab-separated text, or INSERT/UPDATE statements |
| Save Data As | The contents of one cell to a file | The file extension you type |
Export query results step by step
In the query window, run your query; the result appears in a Result tab. The Result tab toolbar has an Export button that exports the result of the query. To use the full wizard on a query, the manual notes that the query must be saved first; otherwise it does not appear in the wizard's object list. The documented Export Wizard steps are:
- In the main window, click Export Wizard.
- Select the export format, for example CSV or Excel, and click Next.
- Select the tables, views or saved queries to export and set the destination file name and folder.
- Optionally click Advanced to set the file encoding or add a timestamp to the file name, then click OK.
- Select the fields to include and click Next.
- Set the format options (next section) and click Next.
- Click Start. When it finishes, Open shows the exported file or the log.
Export options for CSV and Excel
For Excel, Export Selected to Same File writes each selected table or query to its own sheet in one workbook; Export Selected to Same Folder writes separate files. On Windows, the manual says the Excel formats offered correspond to the Microsoft Office version installed. You can save the settings as a profile, and in the Standard and Enterprise editions add that profile to an Automation batch job to run on a schedule.
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Include column titles | Writes the field names as the first row |
| Record Delimiter, Field Delimiter, Text Qualifier | Line ending, separator (for example comma or semicolon) and the quote character for text |
| Encoding (Advanced) | Character encoding of the file |
| Add timestamp (Advanced) | Adds the run time to the file name, useful for scheduled exports |
| Date Order, Date Delimiter, Time Delimiter, Decimal Symbol | How dates, times and decimals are written |
| Blank if zero, Zero padding date | Leaves zero values blank; pads days and months to two digits |
| Append | Adds records to an existing file instead of replacing it |
| Continue on error | Skips errors during the export |
Copy results from the grid instead
For a handful of rows, exporting is overkill. In the result or table grid, select cells (or press Ctrl+A for everything) and press Ctrl+C. Navicat places the data on the clipboard with tabs between fields and line breaks between records, which spreadsheet applications split into rows and columns when you paste. Right-click and choose Copy As > Tab Separated Values (Field Name and Data) to include the header row, or Insert Statement / Update Statement to get SQL. On macOS, use Command instead of Ctrl.
Exporting with the free Navicat Premium Lite
The manual is explicit: the Lite edition only exports text-based files such as TXT, CSV, HTML, XML, SQL and JSON. So with Lite you can export to CSV and open that file in Excel, but not create an .xlsx directly. The feature matrix lists exporting to MS Excel, DBF and Parquet as a separate capability of the paid editions. If CSV opens with garbled characters in Excel, check the Encoding setting under Advanced.
Frequently asked questions
How do I export a Navicat query result to Excel?
Run the query and click Export on the Result tab, or save the query and use the Export Wizard, choosing an Excel format. Excel export needs the Standard or Enterprise edition; Lite exports CSV instead.
Why does my query not appear in the Navicat Export Wizard?
The manual notes that the query must be saved before you launch the wizard; unsaved queries are not listed as sources.
How do I include column headers in a Navicat CSV export?
Tick Include column titles in the wizard's additional options. When copying from the grid, use Copy As > Tab Separated Values (Field Name and Data).
Can I export several tables to one Excel file?
Yes. Select them in the wizard and choose Export Selected to Same File; each object becomes a sheet.
Can Navicat export on a schedule?
Yes, in the Standard and Enterprise editions: save the export as a profile and add it to an Automation batch job, which on Windows runs through Windows Task Scheduler.
Sources
- Navicat 18 manual (Windows): Export Wizard
- Navicat 18 manual (macOS): Export Wizard
- Navicat 18 manual: Query Results
- Navicat 18 manual: RDBMS Data Editor
- Navicat 18 manual: Automation
- Navicat Premium feature matrix
Checked 8 October 2026.
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