How to convert PDF to CSV
- Drop your PDF file into the box above, or click it to choose from your device.
- CSV is already selected for you. Press "Convert to CSV".
- Download each new CSV file, or grab them all at once as a ZIP.
Why convert PDF to CSV?
PDF files are best for documents that must print and look identical everywhere. CSV is the better choice for moving table data between apps. It opens in excel, Google Sheets and every database, while PDF opens in every browser and operating system.
This conversion reads the words and table layout out of your PDF file rather than copying its look, so images, colours and styling are left behind. Accuracy depends on how clear the original is: digital files come out exact, while photos and scans can have the odd misread character.
PDF vs CSV at a glance
| CSV | ||
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Fixed layout holding text, vectors or scanned images | Plain text |
| Opens in | Every browser and operating system | Excel, Google Sheets and every database |
| Best for | documents that must print and look identical everywhere | moving table data between apps |
What happens to your file
Most PDFs already contain their text, each word stored with its exact position on the page. The converter reads those positions with PDF.js and groups the words into rows and columns, which is more accurate than reading the page as a picture. If the PDF is a scan with no text inside, it automatically falls back to OCR instead.
Tips for a clean conversion
- Drop a whole folder's worth of PDF files at once. They convert one after another and you can download everything as a single ZIP.
- Keep your original PDF files until you have checked the results. Converting back later is rarely lossless.
- Scanned PDFs are pictures of text with nothing inside to copy. The converter spots this and reads them with OCR instead, which is slower and can misread faint or tiny print.
- Columns are rebuilt from where words sit on the page. Simple grids come out cleanly; merged cells or text that wraps inside a cell may land in the wrong column, so glance over the result.
About the formats
PDF: Fixed-layout document format that looks the same on every device.
CSV: Comma-separated values. The lowest common denominator for spreadsheets and databases.
Questions
- Is it safe to convert PDF to CSV here?
- Yes. The conversion runs entirely inside your web browser. Your PDF file is never uploaded to a server, so nobody else can see it.
- Will I lose quality?
- This conversion reads the words and table layout out of your PDF file rather than copying its look, so images, colours and styling are left behind. Accuracy depends on how clear the original is: digital files come out exact, while photos and scans can have the odd misread character.
- Can I convert several PDF files at once?
- Yes. Drop as many files as you like. Each one is converted in turn, and you can download them one by one or all together as a ZIP.
- Is it free?
- Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many files you convert.
- Does it work on a phone?
- Yes. The converter runs in any modern browser, including Safari on iPhone and Chrome on Android, so you can convert PDF files without installing an app.