A PDF stores a table as a picture of aligned text, not as rows and cells. Conversion is therefore a reconstruction. The right mode depends on whether you need the page to look the same or the numbers to behave like data.
Step by step
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1
Upload your PDF
Drag your PDF onto the box or click Choose file. It is sent over an encrypted connection and only used for this task.
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Set the options
Adjust mode, all tables in a single spreadsheet and output. Every field has a sensible default, so you can usually run the tool straight away.
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One sheet per page
Detected tables land in a spreadsheet with each page on its own sheet. Text PDFs convert best; scans need OCR first.
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Run it and download
Press PDF to Excel and the page shows progress while it works. When it finishes you get a download link — nothing is emailed and nothing is stored longer than it needs to be.
Table mode vs layout mode
Optimized for tables reconstructs rows and columns so cells can be sorted and calculated. Keep style and layout follows the visual arrangement and is better for a report that must look like the original. Automatic chooses based on the page. When the destination is a spreadsheet, table mode is usually the honest choice.
One sheet per page keeps the source traceable. Turn on “all tables in a single spreadsheet” when you want one working sheet, but expect repeated headers and merged cells to need cleanup.
What makes a table convertible
Ruled lines and a real text layer produce the cleanest result. Tables built only from tabs and spacing are harder; the converter has to infer the grid. Merged cells, nested headers and rotated labels are the usual sources of shifted rows. If the PDF is a scan, run OCR first so the numbers become text.
Check the numbers, not just the look
Compare the first and last row of the original with the sheet. Check a total, a date and any value with a leading zero — spreadsheet software may turn an account number into a number unless the column is formatted as text. Fill formulas only after the imported cells are verified; a formula over a misplaced row is worse than no formula.
Good habits for PDF to Excel
- Text PDFs convert best. If the page is a scan, run OCR first.
- Tables are detected by their alignment, so ruled lines convert most reliably.
- Check the result before deleting the original.
Common questions
Is this tool free?
Yes. Every tool on this site is free to use, with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily task limit.
Do I need to install anything?
No. The tools run in your browser and are processed by this server.
What happens to my files?
They are stored under an unguessable id and swept automatically after a couple of hours. Nothing is shared or indexed.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. The page pickers and editors are built for touch, so dragging, rotating and selecting pages all work without a mouse.
What does PDF to Excel do exactly?
Convert PDF to Excel or CSV online for free. Extract table data from PDF
Can I convert a scanned table?
Run OCR first. A scan has no text layer, so table detection has nothing reliable to read. The searchable PDF is the input for the conversion.
Why are some rows merged or shifted?
The source table probably uses merged cells or spacing rather than ruled columns. Try layout mode, or clean the affected rows in the spreadsheet after import.
Should I choose Excel or CSV?
Excel keeps formatting, multiple sheets and formulas. CSV is the plain interchange format for another system; it carries one table and no styling.