How to Convert Excel to PDF without Formatting Loss

Sharing specific documents requires precision and a professional look, such as financial reports or invoices.

Excel files can appear differently on various devices or software versions due to incompatible fonts, cell sizes, or formatting options. While PDFs, on the other hand, maintain consistent presentation.

This page introduces some great ways to convert Excel to PDF while preserving the layout and formatting of a spreadsheet.

Batch Convert Excel to PDF without Formatting Loss for Free

The best way of converting Excel to PDF while keeping formatting is using a dedicated PDF converter, and PDFgear is one of the best of them.

PDFgear is a piece of free and powerful PDF converter software to convert PDF to Excel and vice versa.

PDFgear ensures that the formatting of your Excel file is preserved during the conversion process. The layout, fonts, and other visual elements of your Excel file will be accurately replicated in the resulting PDF document.

What’s more, PDFgear features a batch conversion feature that will tremendously save your time by converting multiple Excel workbooks at one go.

Step 1. Download PDFgear, install it, and fire it up after the installation.

Step 2. Go to the Convert to PDF toolbox, and select the Excel to PDF converter tool within.

Step 3. Click Add Files to import one or more Excel workbooks, and click Convert.

Step 4. That’s it! Now the Excel has been converted to PDF. As you can see, the formatting of the Excel spreadsheet is properly reserved, and you get to further copy/edit/delete text in the PDF using PDFgear.

Convert Excel to PDF Online for Free

For users looking forward to a solution to turn Excel into PDF without software installation, PDFgear also offers an online choice.

PDFgear features a collection of online PDF tools, and a powerful Excel to PDF converter is among them, which instantly convert spreadsheets into PDF without formatting issues.

The best part of PDFgear online converter is that it’s totally free to use, and there’s no need to sign up for an account. Moreover, PDFgear online converter works on both computers and mobile phones.

Step 1. Use a web browser to go to PDFgear online Excel to PDF converter.

Step 2. Click the Select Excel files buttons to upload an Excel worksheet.

Step 3. PDFgear will automatically convert the uploaded Excel to PDF, with the original formatting, fonts, and layouts.

Save Excel as PDF in Microsoft Excel

Using Microsoft Excel’s inbuilt ‘Export’ feature will translate your workbook’s structure directly into a PDF format, preserving the exact look and feel of your tables, charts, and text.

This includes font styles, colors, cell sizes, and even the placement of images.

Step 1. Open your Excel document.

Step 2. Click on ‘File’ > ‘Export’.

Step 3. Choose ‘Create PDF/XPS Document’.

Step 4. Click on the ‘Create PDF/XPS’ button.

Step 5. In the publish options, ensure all formatting settings are correct, and click ‘Publish’.

Print Excel Workbooks to PDF in Excel

You can also use virtual printing in your operating system to convert Excel documents into PDFs without losing formatting.

This ensures that what you see in the print preview – including the layout, cell formatting, fonts, and graphics – is exactly what gets encapsulated in the PDF.

However, note that this process will flatten and remove the interactable elements in your PDF – meaning the output PDF is uneditable.

Step 1. Launch Microsoft Excel and open the workbook you want to convert to a PDF.

Step 2. Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + P (Windows) or Command + P (macOS) to go to the printer window.

Step 3. Here you can adjust the print area, do page setup, and preview the printed PDF.

Step 4. Select ‘Microsoft Print to PDF’ in the ‘Print’ menu, and select ‘Microsoft Print to PDF’ from the list of printers.

Step 5. When ready, click ‘Print’, and Excel will prompt you to choose a location to save your PDF.

FAQs

What steps should I follow in Excel to ensure my PDF retains the original formatting?

Set the print area, adjust page breaks, check print preview, and use the ‘Save As’ or ‘Export’ feature to convert to PDF.

Can I convert multiple Excel sheets into a single PDF document?

Yes, you can select multiple sheets before converting to PDF, or adjust settings to include the entire workbook.

Will my hyperlinks in Excel work in the PDF?

Yes, if you use the ‘Save As’ or ‘Export’ feature in Excel, hyperlinks are typically preserved in the PDF.

Is there a way to batch convert multiple Excel files to PDF?

Yes, some third-party tools and services allow you to batch convert files. In Excel, you’d have to convert them individually or use a macro.

Can I convert an Excel file to PDF with formulas displaying as results?

Yes, the PDF will show the formula results as they appear in your Excel sheet at the time of conversion.

How can I secure my PDF after converting it from Excel?

Use PDF creation tools that allow you to set passwords and permissions, or use Excel’s ‘Export’ feature which includes options to encrypt the PDF.