Convert PDF to CSV
CSV is the format that almost every database, script, CRM and import tool understands – plain rows of values separated by commas. PDFConvertFast reads the tables and text in your PDF and writes them as one CSV file, ready to import.
The CSV option is already selected in the converter below. It works with digital PDFs that contain selectable text; scanned PDFs are not supported, because PDFConvertFast has no OCR.
Your files stay on your device. Conversions run in your browser.
Works best with digital PDFs that contain selectable text or tables. Scanned PDFs may need OCR.
Your files stay on your device. Conversions run in your browser.
- No signup required
- Files stay on your device
- Browser-based conversion
- Fast download
- Free to use
What the CSV file looks like
- One file for the whole PDF: the rows of all pages follow each other, without empty separator lines.
- Values are separated by commas and saved as UTF-8 with a BOM, so Excel shows accents, umlauts and non-Latin text correctly.
- Numbers such as 1,234.50 are written as plain values (1234.5) without thousands separators.
- Text that contains commas or quotes is quoted correctly, so the columns stay intact.
Need semicolons or tabs instead?
Some European versions of Excel and some import tools expect semicolons. In that case, convert the PDF to XLSX first and then use Excel to CSV, where you can choose comma, semicolon or tab.
Before you import the file
Titles, page headers and notes from the PDF become rows of their own. Delete them so that only the header row and the data rows remain. If a column contains IDs with leading zeros (for example 00123), import it as text – Excel removes leading zeros when it opens a CSV file directly.
Privacy: your files stay on your device
Your files stay on your device. Conversions run in your browser. PDFConvertFast never uploads, stores or reads your documents – there is no server that receives them, no account and no email address.
- Your files stay on your device
- No signup required
- Browser-based conversion
PDF to CSV – questions and answers
How do I convert a PDF to CSV?
On this page “CSV” is already selected as the output format: choose your PDF and click “Convert to CSV”. You download one .csv file with the same name as your PDF.
Which separator does the CSV file use?
A comma. If your Excel version or import tool expects semicolons or tabs, convert the PDF to XLSX first and then use Excel to CSV, where you can choose comma, semicolon or tab.
What happens with a PDF that has several pages?
All pages go into the same CSV file, one row after another, without empty lines between the pages. If you prefer one sheet per page, choose “Excel (XLSX)” as the output format instead.
Which encoding does the PDF to CSV file use?
UTF-8 with a BOM. The BOM tells Excel to read the file as UTF-8, so accents, umlauts and non-Latin text show correctly when you double-click the CSV.
Why are leading zeros missing when I open the CSV in Excel?
The CSV keeps values like 00123 exactly as they are, but Excel removes leading zeros when it opens a CSV file directly. Import the file with Data › From Text/CSV and set that column to Text to keep them.
How are numbers written in the CSV file?
Plain numbers such as 1,234.50 are written without thousands separators and with a decimal point (1234.5), so import tools read them as numbers. Values with a currency sign or other text stay exactly as they appear in the PDF.
Why are titles and page headers in my CSV as extra rows?
Everything on the PDF pages is converted, so titles, page headers, notes and footers become rows of their own. Delete them before you import the file, so that only the header row and the data rows remain.
Does PDF to CSV work with scanned documents?
No. A scanned page is an image, and PDFConvertFast does not offer OCR. If no selectable text is found, you get a message instead of an empty CSV file.
Is my PDF uploaded when I create the CSV?
No. The table data is extracted in your browser and the CSV file is created on your device; the PDF is never uploaded or stored.
Can I convert a PDF to CSV for free?
Yes. The converter is free, needs no account and has no limit on the number of files. Each PDF can be up to 100 MB.