Export to PDF in Excel

There are many ways to convert an Excel file to the PDF format so that it is easier to open and read on other devices, without having a spreadsheet program or app installed. If you have Excel on your Windows or Mac computer, you can easily convert Excel XLSX or XLS format files to PDFs.

Export to PDF On a Windows PC

If you’re using Windows, make a PDF from an Excel file with the Export menu item.

Export to PDF On a Mac

If you’re on a Mac computer, making a PDF from an Excel file can be completed through the Save As menu item.

Export to PDF With Google Sheets

Sheets is Google’s online spreadsheet creator and editor. Since you can upload Excel files to Google Sheets, and because Sheets can export documents to the PDF format, it serves as a great way to convert XLSX/XLS to PDF on any computer.

Use Online Converters

Another option is to use a file converter. Since XLS and XLSX files are documents, you can use a free document file converter. There are even some online Excel to PDF converters that make this even easier, and since they work with any web browser, they can convert Excel to PDF on any operating system. A few of our favorites include Smallpdf, iLovePDF, Soda PDF, Online2PDF, and PDNob. Another one we like, shown below, is FileZigZag. Upload your Excel file there and choose PDF as the target format. Select Start Converting to convert the Excel file to PDF and get the download link.

If you don’t have Excel installed, you can still save the XLSX or XLS file to PDF with Microsoft’s free Excel Viewer program. However, since that tool is only a viewer (not editor), you have to install another program along with it to make it support the PDF conversion. One way is with a free PDF printer. PDF printers work by having you ‘print’ the document to PDF, which is an easy way to send the Excel file to the PDF converter, after which the program will save it to the PDF format.

Why Use the PDF Format

Excel files require a specific program to read and edit them, so it can be hard to share such documents with people who don’t have the needed software. However, the PDF format is much more ubiquitous, so as long as there’s a PDF viewer installed on the computer, you can view the file without the need for a spreadsheet viewer/editor.