PDF to CSV
Pull the tables out of a text-based PDF and save them as clean CSV files. The converter finds tables from the exact position of each word, shows you where it split the columns, and lets you drag the column lines until every value lands in the right cell.
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Drag the green lines to move column boundaries. Click empty space inside the table to add a line; select a line and press Delete to remove it. Text boxes are tinted by the column they fall into.
How to use the PDF to CSV
- Open your PDF by dropping it on the box or choosing it, or press Try it with a sample PDF to see how it works.
- Pick a table from the tabs. Each tab shows its page number and size in rows × columns.
- Check the column lines on the page preview. Drag a green line to move it, click inside the table to add one, or select a line and press Delete.
- Adjust the options: use Wide column split if words of one cell get separated, or Whole page as one table if a table is not found.
- Download the CSV for the current table, or use Download all tables (ZIP) or Download combined CSV.
How PDF table detection works
A PDF does not store tables as rows and cells. It stores pieces of text and the exact place each one is drawn on the page. To rebuild a table, the converter works through four steps:
- Rows: text pieces whose baselines are within about 40% of the font size of each other are treated as one line.
- Cells: on each line, neighboring words are joined when the gap between them is smaller than the column split setting (about one font height on Normal). A bigger gap starts a new cell. Runs of two or more spaces inside one text piece also start a new cell.
- Tables: consecutive lines that contain two or more cells and are spaced evenly form a table. Paragraphs, which have only one cell per line, end the table.
- Columns: the rows of a table are stacked on top of each other and the tool looks for vertical strips that no cell touches. Each strip becomes a column boundary, and a cell goes into the column that contains its center, which works for both left-aligned text and right-aligned numbers.
Choosing the right settings
| Problem | What to change |
|---|---|
| Words of one cell end up in two columns | Set Column split to Wide, or delete the extra line on the preview |
| Two columns are merged into one | Set Column split to Fine, or click between them to add a column line |
| The table is not found at all | Choose Whole page as one table, then remove extra rows in your spreadsheet |
| Long descriptions wrap onto a second line | Tick Merge wrapped lines into the row above |
| Excel shows é instead of é | Keep Add UTF-8 BOM ticked |
| Excel puts everything in column A | Use the Semicolon delimiter (common in European Excel settings) |
Tips for bank statements, invoices and reports
- Convert one statement period at a time and use the Pages box (for example 2-5) to skip cover pages and legal notes.
- Turn on Clean numbers when you plan to add up amounts. Currency signs and thousands separators are removed and accounting negatives such as (45.00) become -45.00. Dates and text are left untouched.
- Multi-page tables appear as one tab per page. Download combined CSV stacks them into one file with a blank line between tables.
- Need formatting and number types? PDF to Excel saves an .xlsx workbook, and CSV Viewer lets you check the result before importing it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a PDF table to CSV?
Open the PDF in the converter. It reads the position of every word, groups words into rows, finds the vertical gaps that separate columns and shows each detected table in a tab. Check the column lines on the preview, adjust them if needed, then press Download CSV.
Why are no tables found in my PDF?
The tool needs a text layer. Scanned pages and photos of documents only contain an image, so there are no word positions to read; run them through OCR first. If the PDF does have text, try Whole page as one table, or switch Column split to Fine when columns sit very close together.
How does the column detection work?
Words that sit close together on a line are joined into cells, and a gap wider than about one character height starts a new cell. The tool then overlays all rows of a table and looks for horizontal positions that no cell covers. Those empty vertical strips become the column boundaries, and each cell is placed in the column that contains its center.
Can I fix columns that were split wrongly?
Yes. Drag any green line on the page preview to move a boundary, click inside the table to add a new boundary, or select a line and press Delete to merge two columns. The CSV preview below updates instantly, and Reset columns brings back the automatic result.
Which delimiter should I choose?
Comma is the CSV standard and works in Google Sheets, Excel in English locales, databases and most code. Choose semicolon if your Excel uses a comma as the decimal separator, as in much of Europe, and tab if you plan to paste the data into a spreadsheet.
Why add a UTF-8 BOM?
Excel on Windows guesses the encoding of a CSV file. The byte order mark tells it the file is UTF-8, so accented letters and symbols like € display correctly. Leave it off if a program or script expects plain UTF-8 without a BOM.
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. The PDF is opened with the pdf.js engine inside your browser, and table detection, editing and CSV creation all run locally on your device.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.