PDF to Excel
Extracts text and splits it into columns, ideal for simple tables.
- No upload — runs on your device
- Free, no sign-up
- No watermark
What PDF to Excel does
Extracts text and splits it into columns, ideal for simple tables. Pulling a table out of a PDF and into an editable spreadsheet normally means retyping the data by hand. This tool detects columns based on spacing gaps and splits the extracted text accordingly, working best on simple, well-aligned tables — formulas, merged cells, and complex formatting from the original table are not preserved, only the visible text values.
Works well with: Excel to PDF · PDF to Word · PDF to Text
Runs 100% in your browser
PDFHook processes this file using JavaScript on your own device. It's never uploaded, stored, or seen by anyone else — and it works even if your connection drops mid-way.
PDF to Excel in 3 steps
Upload your PDF
Works best with simple, well-aligned tables.
Conversion runs automatically
Text is split into columns based on spacing.
Download the Excel file
Open it in Excel, Google Sheets, or similar.
Key features
- Detects columns from spacing
- Editable .xlsx output
- Best for simple, well-aligned tables
- Column detection based on spacing gaps of two or more spaces
- Produces a standard, fully editable .xlsx file
Practical use cases
- A financial report's table data needs to be pulled into a spreadsheet for further analysis.
- Someone received a data table as a PDF and needs it in an editable, sortable format.
- A user wants to combine a PDF table with other spreadsheet data.
Related terminology
- Column detection
- Identifying separate table columns in extracted text based on the spacing pattern between values, since a PDF doesn't store an explicit table structure like a spreadsheet does.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a PDF convert well here?
Tables with clear spacing between columns work best — the tool detects columns from gaps of two or more spaces.
Will merged cells or formulas carry over?
No — only the visible text is extracted; formatting, formulas and merged cells are not preserved.
What if my PDF table doesn't have clear spacing between columns?
Tightly-packed or inconsistently-spaced tables may not split into columns accurately — clear, consistent spacing between column values gives the most reliable results.
Can I convert multiple tables from one PDF at once?
Yes — all detected table content across the PDF is extracted into the spreadsheet output.
Can I export a PDF table directly to XLSX?
Yes — detected table data is extracted straight into a standard .xlsx spreadsheet file, ready to open in Excel or Google Sheets.
Is there a free PDF to XLSX converter for tables?
Yes — this pdf to excel free tool works to export PDF to XLSX, extract PDF table to Excel, and convert PDF table to spreadsheet format with no cost.
Is PDF to Excel free?
Yes, and there is no sign-up, watermark or daily limit — everything runs in your browser rather than on a metered server.