How to Convert PDF to Excel: 5 Easy Ways in 2026
To convert a PDF to Excel, open Excel and choose Data > Get Data > From File > From PDF. Pick the file, select the table you want in the Navigator, and click Load. The table lands in a new sheet. For scanned PDFs, use a converter with text recognition, such as Adobe Acrobat, or an AI tool.
This guide covers five ways to do it, from built-in Excel tools to AI. It also covers which way to pick, a worked example, and how to fix the most common problems after the data lands.
Which way to choose
Each way suits a different kind of PDF.
| Way | Best for | Needs |
|---|---|---|
| Way 1: Excel Get Data | Text-based PDFs with clear tables | Excel with Power Query |
| Way 2: Adobe Acrobat desktop | Long or scanned PDFs, with control over settings | An Acrobat plan |
| Way 3: Acrobat online | Quick one-off files in a browser | A browser |
| Way 4: Copy and paste | A small table on one page | Any PDF reader |
| Way 5: AI tools | Messy tables, many files, or data you need to analyze | An AI tool account |
Two questions decide most cases. Is the PDF text-based or a scan? And do you only need the table, or also the analysis that comes after it?
A text-based PDF lets you select words with the cursor. A scanned PDF is a picture of a page. Scans need text recognition, which Ways 2, 3, and 5 can handle.
If the same PDF arrives every month, favor a way that repeats. Excel's query can refresh, and an AI tool can rerun the same request. Copy and paste has to be done by hand each time.
Before you start: check your PDF
A little prep saves cleanup later. Check these points first:
- Can you select the text? Try to highlight a number. If you can't, the PDF is a scan.
- Where are the tables? Note the page numbers, so you can skip cover pages and notes.
- Do tables run across pages? Multi-page tables need to be combined.
- Are there merged headers? Two-row headers often split into odd columns.
- What format are the numbers? Note the currency signs and the decimal and thousands separators.
Also decide what you need at the end. A clean table for your own use needs less work than a report for someone else.
Finally, keep a copy of the original PDF next to the workbook. When a number looks wrong later, you can open the source page and check it in seconds. This habit matters most for statements and invoices that feed into payments or the books.
Way 1: Use Excel's Get Data from PDF
Excel can read tables straight from a PDF with Power Query. Microsoft's docs say the PDF connector "Returns any tables found in a PDF file." The connector is listed as generally available in Excel, Power BI, and Power Query Online.
Here are the steps in Excel:
- Open a blank workbook.
- Go to Data > Get Data > From File > From PDF.
- Browse to the PDF file and select Open.
- In the Navigator, select the table or page you want.
- Select Load to put it in a sheet, or Transform Data to clean it first.
Microsoft's docs describe the last step the same way. In the Navigator, you "select Load to load the data or Transform Data to continue transforming the data in Power Query Editor."
Multi-page tables get special handling. The docs say a setting called MultiPageTables "Controls whether similar tables on consecutive pages will be automatically combined into a single table." It is on by default.
Large files can be slow. Microsoft suggests "selecting pages one at a time or one small range at a time" using the StartPage and EndPage options. For many PDFs at once, the docs point to the Folder connector.
There is also a web version. In Power Query Online, the docs say you can "provide the file path or the URL to the location of the PDF file." For a local file, you can upload it or drag it in.
If the PDF lives online, the docs give another tip for Excel on the desktop: "use the Web connector to connect to the file." That saves a download step for reports you pull from a portal.
This way has one big advantage. The query remembers its steps. When next month's PDF arrives in the same layout, you can refresh instead of starting over.
Way 2: Export with Adobe Acrobat on desktop
Adobe Acrobat can export a PDF straight to an Excel workbook. Adobe's help page for this was last updated on October 22, 2026.
The steps from Adobe's help page:
- Open the PDF in Acrobat.
- Select Convert from the global bar.
- Select Microsoft Excel from the left pane, then select XLSX from the dropdown menu.
- Select Convert to XLSX.
- Choose a location, type a file name, and select Save.
Adobe also lets you adjust the export. Its help page lists Excel Workbook Settings, where you can create "a worksheet for each table, page or the entire document." Numeric Settings set the decimal and thousands separators. Text Recognition Settings let Acrobat "Recognize text images if needed and set the language."
That last setting matters for scans. Adobe's how-to page says that if your PDF documents contain scanned text, "Acrobat will run text recognition automatically."
Acrobat is a paid product. Check Adobe's plans page for current prices in your region.
Way 3: Convert in the browser with Acrobat online
For a one-off file, Adobe also offers a browser tool. Its how-to page says you can "Use the PDF to Excel converter on your browser or mobile device." The result is an editable spreadsheet.
The flow is short:
- Open Adobe's online PDF to Excel converter.
- Upload or drag in your PDF.
- Wait for the conversion to finish.
- Download the Excel file and open it.
Adobe's page also covers paper. "Just scan to PDF and convert to Excel," it says, adding that text recognition extracts the data.
Before you upload, think about the content. Bank statements, payroll, and client records may fall under your company's rules for online tools. When in doubt, use Way 1 on your own computer.
Way 4: Copy and paste a small table
For a single small table, copy and paste can be enough.
- Open the PDF in your reader.
- Select the table rows with the cursor.
- Press Ctrl+C.
- In Excel, click a cell and press Ctrl+V.
The paste often lands in one column. If it does, select the column and use Data > Text to Columns. Choose Delimited, then pick the separator, such as a space or tab, and finish the wizard.
Watch for two things after you paste. Numbers with currency signs may land as text, so they won't add up. Dates may flip between month-first and day-first. Check one total and one date before you build on the data.
A quick trick helps with wide tables. Paste into a plain text editor first to see the spacing. If columns are separated by tabs, the paste into Excel usually splits cleanly.
This way works for a few rows. For more than one page, or tables with merged cells, Ways 1, 2, and 5 save time.
Way 5: Convert and analyze with AI
Sometimes the table is only the start. You might need totals, a chart, or a summary from the data inside the PDF. An AI tool can extract the table and do the analysis in one pass.
Here is the method in three steps, using Powerdrill Bloom.
Step 1: Upload your PDF
Start with the PDF itself. The Convert PDF to Excel tool says it can "Extract tables from PDFs in seconds and download them as clean Excel or CSV files." The page asks you to make sure "the file is clear and ready for conversion to get the best results."
If the PDF has many tables, note which ones you need. That makes the next step faster.
Step 2: Describe the table you need in natural language
Ask for the output. For example: "Convert the invoice table on pages 2 to 4 into one Excel sheet. Keep the amounts as numbers and add a total row."
You can also ask a question at the same time, such as which vendor had the largest balance. The PDF to CSV tool works the same way for CSV, and covers "financial reports, inventories, or research data."
Step 3: Check the numbers and download the Excel file
Compare one or two totals with the PDF before you use the file. Then download it.
The Convert PDF to Excel page says the file is "ready to use with preserved data integrity and formatting." If you need a chart or a report from the same data, the AI Report Generator can build it from the converted file.
A PDF to Excel example
Here is a worked example for a made-up company, Redwood Supply. Its accounts team receives a vendor statement as a PDF each month and needs the invoices in Excel.
| Invoice | Date | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| INV-1041 | Oct 3 | $1,250.00 |
| INV-1042 | Oct 8 | $980.50 |
| INV-1043 | Oct 12 | $2,415.75 |
| INV-1044 | Oct 17 | $640.00 |
| INV-1045 | Oct 22 | $1,815.25 |
| INV-1046 | Oct 28 | $3,120.00 |
| Total | $10,221.50 |
The statement is a text-based PDF, so Way 1 works. The team loads the table with Get Data. Two problems show up. The Amount column arrives as text because of the dollar signs, and the Total row comes in as a data row.
In Power Query, they change the Amount column type to Currency and filter out the Total row. Then they add their own total in Excel. It matches the PDF at $10,221.50, so the import is complete.
Next month, they save the new PDF over the old file and select Refresh. The same steps run again.
The data also answers a question the manager asks every month. Two invoices, INV-1043 and INV-1046, make up $5,535.75. That is 54.2% of the statement. A simple sort by Amount puts them at the top of the sheet.
If the vendor later sends a scanned statement instead, the team switches to Way 2 or Way 5 for that month. Text recognition reads the scan, and the same cleanup steps apply.
PDF to Excel or PDF to CSV
You don't always need an Excel workbook. Sometimes a CSV file is the better target.
Choose Excel when:
- You will add formulas, charts, or pivot tables.
- You want several tables in one file, on separate sheets.
- The file goes to a colleague who works in Excel.
Choose CSV when:
- The data goes into another system, such as accounting software or a database.
- You need one flat table with no formatting.
- You plan to load it into an analysis tool.
Both start the same way. Our guide on how to convert PDF to CSV covers the CSV route in more detail. Acrobat's settings can create a worksheet per table, and Excel can export any sheet as a CSV file from the File menu. AI tools can usually return either format from one prompt.
Fix common problems after converting
Most conversions need a few fixes. These are the common ones.
Numbers stored as text. Currency signs and spaces stop Excel from adding numbers. Change the column type in Power Query, or use Data > Text to Columns and finish without changes.
Merged headers. Two-row headers can create blank or split columns. Delete the extra header row and rename the columns.
Tables split across pages. Repeated headers show up mid-table. Filter them out, or let the multi-page option combine them.
Wrong separators. Some PDFs use commas as decimal marks. Set the separators in Acrobat's Numeric Settings, or change the locale in Power Query.
Scanned pages. Scans need text recognition. Check a sample of numbers carefully, since recognition errors are easy to miss.
Totals imported as rows. Subtotal and total rows double-count sums. Remove them and recalculate in Excel.
Dates in the wrong format. Set the column type to Date and confirm the month and day order.
Tips for a clean conversion every month
A few habits make PDF to Excel conversion repeatable.
- Keep the same file name and folder. A refreshable query needs to find the new file.
- Check one total every time. It catches a missing page or a changed layout.
- Keep the raw import separate. Do cleanup steps in Power Query, not by hand.
- Ask senders for the source file. Many reports exist as Excel or CSV before they become PDFs.
- Protect sensitive files. Use desktop tools for confidential data, unless your company approves an online tool.
When you are ready to turn your next PDF into a clean sheet, try Powerdrill Bloom with last month's statement.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a PDF to Excel for free?
Use Excel's Data > Get Data > From File > From PDF if you already have Excel. For small tables, copy and paste works. Online converters also offer free trials or free conversions.
How do I convert a PDF to Excel without losing formatting?
Use a converter that keeps tables intact, such as Adobe Acrobat's export or an AI tool. Then fix number types and headers in Excel. Expect some cleanup with complex layouts.
Can Excel open a PDF directly?
Excel can't open a PDF like a workbook, but it can import tables from it. Use Get Data > From File > From PDF, then load the table you need.
How do I convert a scanned PDF to Excel?
Use a tool with text recognition. Adobe says Acrobat runs text recognition automatically on scanned PDFs. AI tools can also read scans. Check the numbers carefully afterward.
How do I convert a multi-page PDF table to Excel?
Use Excel's Get Data from PDF. Microsoft's docs say similar tables on consecutive pages can be combined into one table automatically. Then remove repeated header rows.
Sources: Microsoft Learn, Power Query PDF connector · Adobe Help, Convert PDFs to Microsoft Excel formats · Adobe, How to convert a PDF to Excel.