Excel can import tables from a PDF through Power Query. In a supported Windows desktop version, open Data > Get Data > From File > From PDF, choose the file and inspect the tables in Navigator before loading one.
Expect to check the rows and columns afterward. The import extracts data rather than recreating the page layout, and an image-only scan may need text recognition first.
In this guide
Check for the PDF connector first
Open Excel on Windows and select Data > Get Data > From File. Look for From PDF before preparing the rest of the import.
The PDF connector depends on the Excel product and installation. Check for it before spending time preparing an import.
These steps follow Microsoft's Windows instructions. Mac and browser versions may offer Get Data without the same PDF connector, so check their supported sources separately.
Status: Microsoft's PDF connector and Excel import instructions checked 22 October 2026. The route described is Windows desktop Excel; no PDF or workbook was converted here.
Microsoft documents the menu path in its Power Query import instructions, under the Windows File: PDF section.
If From PDF is absent, check supported data sources with Microsoft or your administrator. Changing the file extension to .xlsx cannot turn the PDF into a workbook.
Choose the table in Navigator
Select From PDF, browse to the file and choose Open. Navigator lists the information the connector can extract.
Select a table and compare its preview with the PDF's headings, first and last records, and column count. A label such as Table001 is not a guarantee that the full report is included.
Import the table you need, rather than every detected item. A multipage PDF can produce separate headings, page fragments and unrelated tables in Navigator.
For an already usable preview, select Load > Load to bring the data directly into Excel. Load To lets you choose a loading destination through the import dialog.
For split rows, stray headings or columns needing cleanup, select Transform Data. This opens Power Query before the result is loaded to the worksheet.
Repair the extraction before trusting the totals
Microsoft says in its PDF connector reference that multiline rows may not be identified correctly. Compare each logical record with the source before removing apparently empty rows.
A name that spans two lines in the PDF may appear as two rows in the import. Check against the original before treating the extra row as another customer or transaction.
Check headers, decimal separators, negative values, dates and identifier columns. A cell that looks plausible can still have the wrong type, especially when a code resembles a number.
For long identifiers, review Excel's scientific-notation and precision limits before changing their type to Number. Digits lost through numeric conversion cannot be restored by widening a column.
Compare the record count and a known total with the PDF before calculating or sharing the workbook. A completed import can still contain misplaced or incorrectly interpreted values.
Once the cells are checked, save a Google Sheets version if collaborators need to work in Google's spreadsheet editor.
A scanned or difficult PDF needs a different step
Try selecting a word in the original PDF. An image-only page needs text recognition first; text that cannot be copied from a PDF explains that distinction.
Use a trusted text-recognition tool or request a text-based export from the sender. Avoid uploading private financial or customer records to an unfamiliar conversion website just to test it.
Microsoft states that StartPage and EndPage can restrict the imported pages. For a large PDF, start with the relevant range rather than loading the full document unnecessarily.
If the source is a report from a business system, ask for its Excel or CSV export. That preserves the underlying data more directly than reconstructing table structure from a printed page.
The Short Version
Use Data > Get Data > From File > From PDF, select the right table in Navigator and choose Load or Transform Data. Check the output against the source before calculating with it.
An image-only scan needs text recognition, and a missing PDF connector requires checking Excel's supported features.
Where to Next
Save the verified workbook as an Excel file and retain the PDF for comparison. If rows still merge or split unpredictably, request the original data export rather than guessing which values belong together.
