OCR Online: Turn Scanned Tables into Real Excel

Upload a scan or photo and download a clean .xlsx with rows, columns, and numbers ready for Excel or Google Sheets.

AI extraction can contain errors. Verify the output against the source document before using it for accounting, reporting or any decision.

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AI Table Extraction

Text PDFs are parsed on our server; scans are read by GPT-5 vision

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Excel, CSV, Word, PowerPoint

One result, any format from the Download menu: .xlsx, .csv, .docx, .pptx

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Statements → QuickBooks, Xero

Bank and card statements export to .qbo, .ofx and import-ready CSV for QuickBooks and Xero

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No Registration

3 files a day free, files deleted right after processing. Pro: $9/mo, no daily limit

Short answer: Need OCR online for a scanned table? Upload it to PDF2XLS. We read scans and photos with GPT‑5 vision and return a real .xlsx. Free for 3 files/day, up to 10 MB each, one at a time. No signup. Numbers land as numbers; files are processed and deleted right away.

  • Free tier: 3 files/day, no account
  • Max size: 10 MB per file, one file at a time
  • Output: .xlsx for Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice, Numbers
  • Scans/photos: OCR by GPT‑5 vision, no toggle needed
  • Privacy: Processed via OpenAI API, then deleted immediately
  • Platform: Works in any browser; processing runs on our servers

What does online OCR do for scanned tables?

OCR turns a picture of a table into structured spreadsheet data. PDF2XLS detects the grid (rows and columns), reads each cell, and writes a real .xlsx you can sort, filter, and sum. It keeps data, not design: expect clean values, not fonts, colors, logos, images, charts, or formulas.

How do I tell if my PDF needs OCR?

Try selecting text in the table. If the cursor only draws a blue rectangle and you can’t copy individual words, it’s an image and needs OCR. Camera artifacts (shadows, skewed edges, glare) also signal a scan/photo. If text highlights normally, upload it anyway—PDF2XLS handles both types.

Convert a scanned PDF or photo to Excel — steps

  1. Click “Choose file” in the widget above and pick your PDF or image (up to 10 MB).
  2. Upload. Scanned pages go through the same pipeline; there’s no extra OCR switch.
  3. Wait for conversion, then download the .xlsx file.
  4. Open in Excel or Google Sheets and verify headers, totals, and number formats.

If your PDF already has selectable text, our online PDF converter for Excel tables returns .xlsx just the same—still no install, no signup.

When should I use CSV instead of Excel?

If you’re loading data into a database or script, export CSV after download. We output .xlsx because it preserves numbers and sheet structure best; you can quickly follow the steps in PDF to CSV Online to save the spreadsheet as clean UTF‑8 CSV.

Known edge cases and quick fixes

Low-resolution scans can drop characters. Aim for a 300 dpi scan or a clear 8+ MP photo. Keep pages flat, well lit, and free of shadows. Rotate pages upright before upload; extreme skew and perspective make lines cross, which confuses table boundaries.

Very complex layouts (tiny fonts, multi-line headers, footnotes inside cells) may require a quick cleanup after download. In Excel, fill down repeated headers, adjust column widths, and check that negatives and dates parsed correctly. Handwriting rarely converts into clean cells—typewritten text works best.

Need paragraphs instead of tables? If you mainly want editable text, use our PDF to Word Free tool instead. If you only need part of a page, crop or split the PDF so the table stands alone and re-upload.

We don’t keep your documents. Files are sent to our servers for recognition via the OpenAI API, converted, and deleted immediately after processing. The result is data-first: rows, columns, and numbers as numbers—not the original look.

Ready to go? Upload the file above and convert your PDF.

FAQ

Yes. You can convert 3 files per day for free with no signup. Each upload can be up to 10 MB and is processed one at a time. If you need more than that, repeat tomorrow or trim the file to stay within the limit.

Yes, if the text is readable. Place the page flat, avoid shadows and glare, fill the frame, and keep it sharp. Severe skew or blur can reduce accuracy; re-take the photo or scan at higher quality if needed.

The grid and the data survive: rows, columns, cell values, and numbers as numbers. Fonts, colors, logos, images, page headers/footers, charts, and formulas do not carry over. Expect a clean spreadsheet, not a replica of the PDF’s design.

Files are sent to our servers and recognized via the OpenAI API, then deleted immediately after processing. We don’t store your documents. Use a private connection and avoid uploading anything you’re not permitted to share.

No. The tool processes one file at a time up to 10 MB. If your document is larger, split it into sections under 10 MB and upload them separately, or rescan at a lower DPI while keeping text clearly readable.

Yes. The download is .xlsx, which opens in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc, and Apple Numbers. If you specifically need CSV, open the .xlsx and export using the app’s Save As or Download As CSV option.