Google Sheets opens Excel and CSV files, but not PDFs. To work with a PDF table in Sheets, you first need the table as text or as a spreadsheet file. There are two ways to do it.
Two ways at a glance
| Way | Good for | Downside |
|---|---|---|
| Open with Google Docs, copy | A short table in a simple PDF | Columns often break; layout can shift |
| Extract to .xlsx, import | Any table, several tables, scans | One extra step: download, then import |
Way 1: open the PDF with Google Docs
- Upload the PDF to Google Drive.
- Right-click the file and choose Open with > Google Docs. Docs converts the PDF into an editable document.
- Select the table in the document, copy it, and paste it into an empty Google Sheet.
This is quick for a few rows. On larger tables, Docs often turns the table into lines of plain text, and the paste lands in one column. Then the second way is faster than fixing it.
Way 2: extract the table, then import it
- Upload the PDF on the PDF to Google Sheets page and click Extract.
- Click Export to Excel. You get an .xlsx file with one sheet per table.
- In Google Sheets, open File > Import > Upload and pick the file.
- Choose Create new spreadsheet or Insert new sheet(s), then click Import data.
Columns stay in place because the file already has real cells. Scanned PDFs work too: the extractor recognizes the text first.
Upload a PDF and download its tables as Excel or CSV.
Convert PDF to Google SheetsImporting a CSV instead
If you exported a CSV, the import works the same way. Our CSV separates columns with semicolons, so in the import dialog set Separator type to Detect automatically, or to Custom and type a semicolon. Otherwise the whole row lands in one column. The PDF to CSV page explains the file format.
After the import
- Check that numbers are aligned right. Text-looking numbers need Format > Number.
- If the table ran across several pages, move the rows of each sheet into one sheet.
- Compare one total with the PDF to be sure no row is missing.
Working in Excel instead? Read how to copy a table from PDF to Excel.
Extract tables from your Chrome toolbar
Click the extension icon, pick a PDF and get the tables without opening this site.
Questions and answers
Can I convert a PDF to Google Sheets?+
Not directly. Google Sheets imports spreadsheet files, not PDFs. Extract the table from the PDF to an Excel or CSV file first, then use File > Import in Google Sheets.
How do I get a PDF table into Google Sheets with Google tools only?+
In Google Drive, right-click the PDF and choose Open with > Google Docs. Docs turns the PDF into text; copy the table from there and paste it into Sheets. Columns often need fixing afterwards.
Can I upload a PDF to Google Sheets?+
You can upload a PDF to Google Drive, but Sheets will not open it as a spreadsheet. Convert the table to .xlsx or .csv first and import that file.
How do I insert a PDF into Google Sheets?+
Sheets cannot show a PDF inside a cell. Upload the PDF to Drive and add a link to it with Insert > Link. If you need the data itself, extract the table and import it.
Why does my CSV open in one column in Google Sheets?+
The file probably uses semicolons between columns. In File > Import, set Separator type to Detect automatically or Custom with a semicolon.