You have a table in a PDF, like a price list, a report or a list of orders. You need it in Excel on your Mac. But there's no "open PDF" button in Excel for Mac, and copying the table often dumps everything into one column.
This guide shows a free way using the Preview app that comes with every Mac, and a faster way with Sheetsnap, which turns a PDF table into an Excel file in your web browser.
Why it's harder on a Mac
Excel for Windows has a From PDF import. Excel for Mac doesn't. So on a Mac you either copy the table out of the PDF yourself, or use a converter.
Before you start: is your PDF real text or a picture?
Open the PDF in Preview and try to highlight one word.
- If it highlights, your PDF has real text. Both ways below can work.
- If you can only draw a box, the page is a scan (a photo of paper). Neither way below can read it.
Way 1: Copy from Preview into Excel (free)
- Open the PDF in Preview. (Double-click it. If another app opens, right-click the file and choose Open With, then Preview.)
- Click and drag across the table to highlight it.
- Press Command + C to copy.
- Open Excel, click cell A1, and press Command + V to paste.
The honest catch: most of the time, each row lands in one cell, with all the columns squashed together. You can often split them:
- Select the column with your pasted rows.
- Click the Data tab, then Text to Columns.
- Choose Delimited, then click Next.
- Tick Space (or Tab if that looks right in the preview), then click Finish.
This works well for simple tables. It goes wrong when a cell has more than one word, like "Blue Widget, Large." Those words get split into extra columns, and you'll have to fix them by hand.
Way 2: Use Sheetsnap (fastest)
Sheetsnap finds the tables in your PDF and puts each column in its own place. It copies the numbers exactly as they are in the PDF. It does not guess.
- Open Safari (or any web browser) and go to tools.ltd/sheetsnap.
- Click Choose a PDF, or drag your PDF into the box.
- Press Make my Excel file.
- Download your Excel file.
- Double-click it to open it in Excel or Numbers.
Each table in your PDF gets its own sheet. The top row is in bold and the columns are sized to fit. Your file never leaves your device. The tables are read right in your browser, and nothing is uploaded.
Check your sheet
Whichever way you pick, take a minute to check it.
- Count the rows. Does the sheet have as many as the PDF?
- Look at a few numbers and compare them with the PDF.
- If there's a total in the PDF, add up the column in Excel and see if it matches.
Tips
- Numbers won't add up? Sometimes pasted numbers come in as text. Look for numbers stuck to the left side of the cell. Retyping one, or using Way 2, usually fixes it.
- Got a bank statement? Use MyBankToExcel instead. It's made for statements and gives you a file for Excel or QuickBooks.
- Keep the PDF. It's your record if you need to check a number later.
Which way should I pick?
| Your situation | Best choice |
|---|---|
| Small, simple table, one word per cell | Copy from Preview |
| Cells with several words, or many columns | Sheetsnap |
| Many tables or many pages | Sheetsnap |
| Bank statement | MyBankToExcel |
Frequently asked questions
Can Excel for Mac open a PDF?
No. The From PDF import is only in Excel for Windows. On a Mac, you copy the table out of the PDF, or use a converter.
Can I open the Excel file in Numbers?
Yes. Numbers, the free spreadsheet app on your Mac, can open Excel files. Excel and Google Sheets can too.
My PDF is a scan. Will this work?
No. If you can't highlight the words in Preview, the page is a picture. Sheetsnap needs a PDF made by a computer, like a report or a billing PDF.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Sheetsnap works in Safari, Chrome or any web browser on your Mac. There is nothing to install.
Related guides: How to convert a PDF table to Excel · Copy a table from PDF to Excel without losing columns · More PDF to Excel guides