Document Conversion

How to Convert Excel to PDF Online

By PDFConvertly 3 min read

Illustration of a green Excel spreadsheet converted into a red PDF document

Spreadsheets are awkward to share as they are. The recipient might not have Excel, formulas can be changed by accident, and printing often splits a table across several pages – with the last two columns on a page of their own. Converting the spreadsheet to PDF solves all three problems.

This guide covers the Excel to PDF converter and the settings that decide how your sheet ends up on the page.

Supported files

  • XLSX and XLS – Microsoft Excel
  • ODS – LibreOffice Calc and OpenOffice
  • CSV – plain comma- or semicolon-separated data (the separator and text encoding are detected automatically)

Password-protected workbooks and files containing macros are rejected. Remove the password, or save a copy without macros, before converting.

Step by step

  1. Open the Excel to PDF converter.
  2. Choose your spreadsheet or drag it into the upload box.
  3. Check the two options (explained below) – the defaults suit most spreadsheets.
  4. Press convert and download the PDF.

All visible sheets are included, each starting on a new page, and formulas appear as their calculated results.

The page width option

This setting has the biggest effect on the result.

  • Fit all columns on one page width (default) scales each sheet so that every column fits across the page. Rows continue onto further pages as needed, but a column is never split onto a separate page.
  • Use the spreadsheet's own print settings respects the page setup saved in the file – scaling, print areas and page breaks. Choose this if you have already set up printing carefully in Excel.

Fitting a very wide sheet onto one page width makes the text small. If that happens, consider hiding columns that the reader doesn't need, or splitting the data across two sheets.

The orientation option

  • Automatic (default) uses landscape for wide sheets and portrait for narrow ones.
  • Portrait or Landscape forces the orientation for every sheet.

Landscape is usually best for tables with many columns, such as budgets or monthly reports.

Preparing your spreadsheet

A few minutes of preparation gives a much more professional PDF:

  • Hide what the reader doesn't need. Hidden sheets are not included, and hidden columns and rows are not printed.
  • Set a print area if only part of a sheet matters (in Excel: Page Layout › Print Area › Set Print Area), then choose Use the spreadsheet's own print settings.
  • Repeat header rows. For long tables, set Page Layout › Print Titles so column headings repeat on each page.
  • Check number formats. The PDF shows exactly what the cells display, so make sure currencies and decimals are formatted the way you want.

Things that can look different

  • Charts are redrawn during conversion and may look slightly different from Excel.
  • Fonts that aren't available on the server are replaced with similar ones; common Office fonts are replaced by metric-compatible equivalents, so column widths stay the same.

Frequently asked questions

Why are my columns split across pages?

That happens when Use the spreadsheet's own print settings is selected and the sheet is wider than the page. Choose Fit all columns on one page width instead.

Are hidden sheets included?

No. Only visible sheets are converted. Unhide a sheet in Excel if you want it in the PDF.

Can I convert the PDF back into a spreadsheet?

Yes, as long as it's text-based – use the PDF to Excel converter. Formulas can't be recovered from a PDF, but the values come back as real numbers.

Summary

To convert Excel to PDF, upload an XLSX, XLS, ODS or CSV file, keep Fit all columns on one page width for readable tables, and let the orientation switch to landscape automatically for wide sheets. Hide what readers don't need, set print titles for long tables, and check charts once before sharing.

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