How to Convert PDF to Excel files on the Mac

Ever sat there, staring at the list of numbers on the PDF file in front of you and wishing you could interact with them by changing the file type? This is totally possible – in fact, there are several ways to do it.

Using an online converter

Some kind programmer has created a  completely free-to-use converter on the website www.pdftoexcelonline.com. Here are the steps to convert your files:

Click ‘choose file’ and select the PDF file you wish to convert.

Enter your email address in the box indicated (you can opt out of receiving offers, which is always nice).

Hit ‘convert’!

If you dislike converting via your web browser (say, if you want to convert a batch of PDFs), you can pay for the desktop version of this converter.

Using Adobe Reader

If converting PDF files to Excel is something you need to do often, consider paying a small amount for Adobe’s professional service. Their Reader software, available for free download from their site at http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/product.jsp?platform=macintosh&product=10, offers this functionality for users who pay an annual subscription fee of £15.62.

If you’ve decided to take this route, it becomes very simple to carry out the file conversion:

From the menu bar, select ‘file’, then ‘save as’, then ‘Word or Excel online’.

From the bar that appears on the right-hand side of the document, choose the target file type (Excel) and ensure that the correct PDF has been selected.

Make sure you are signed into Adobe’ system, then click ‘convert’.

There you have it – an editable, bona fide Excel file.

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