LeoPDF user guide
Convert PDFs, Images and Scanned Tables to Excel with LeoPDF OCR
Published
Use LeoPDF to turn PDF tables, images and scans into Excel data. Choose paid cloud OCR in a store edition when the table is an image, or free offline LeoPDFree conversion for a PDF containing usable text. This guide retains the original four Windows screenshots and explains which workflow they show.
Choose your edition
LeoPDFree for Windows: all supported conversions and file-processing tasks run locally on your computer without uploading your files for processing. Word and Excel conversion is free, but does not include OCR.
LeoPDF app store editions: Word and Excel conversion is paid and uses cloud processing, with OCR for PDFs, images, scans and handwriting. Conversion files are deleted when processing completes. Other supported conversion and file-processing tasks run locally without uploading your files for processing.
Use the edition and platform page to choose the appropriate download or app store. The screenshots below show the original LeoPDFree Windows interface; control names can vary by version. They do not show cloud OCR or identical controls on every platform.
Choose the source and processing method
- Selectable PDF text: local conversion without OCR may be suitable. Try copying text from the table first.
- Scanned PDF or photographed table: use OCR to recognize the characters. LeoPDFree does not include OCR.
- Handwriting: store editions support OCR, but unclear digits and crowded table layouts still need careful checking.
Convert to Excel with the store edition
- Open your LeoPDF store app and choose conversion to Excel. Controls can vary by platform.
- Add the PDF, image or scanned table. Keep the whole table visible and use a clear source without glare, shadows or clipped rows.
- Review the purchase or conversion-credit information. Word and Excel conversion in the store editions is paid and requires an internet connection for cloud processing.
- Start the conversion, then save or export the spreadsheet using the controls in your app.
- Compare rows, columns and values against the original before using the data.
Store editions support OCR for printed text and handwriting. Recognition still needs review, especially for unclear characters and crowded tables. Conversion files processed in the cloud are deleted when conversion completes. The Windows screenshots in the next section illustrate the separate free, local workflow without OCR.
Illustrated Windows workflow: free conversion without OCR
The following original screenshots show LeoPDFree for Windows. They illustrate local PDF-to-Excel conversion, not store-edition cloud OCR. For a dedicated local walkthrough and preparation checklist, see free offline PDF to Excel on Windows.
Step 1. Open PDF to Excel
Launch LeoPDFree and click PDF to Excel on the home screen. Start with a PDF containing usable text for this local workflow.

Step 2. Add the PDF files
Click Add Files… to select PDFs, or use Add Folder… to add files from a folder. Check the list before converting. You can add more than one PDF when you need to process several documents.

Step 3. Select pages, sheet arrangement and destination
Use the From and To fields to set the page range for each file. Under Conversion Mode, the illustrated version offers All Pages in One Sheet and One Sheet Per Page. Choose the arrangement that fits your review task, then click Browse… to set the output folder. These choices do not guarantee that every table will be reconstructed perfectly.

Step 4. Convert and open the spreadsheet
Click Convert Now! when the source list and settings are ready. Wait for local processing to finish, then click Check Now in the completion message or open the output folder. Open the spreadsheet in your spreadsheet app and compare it with the source PDF.

Check cells, layout and numeric accuracy
- Compare row order, column boundaries and headings, particularly when a table spans multiple pages.
- Check dates, currency signs, decimal and thousands separators, minus signs and percentages.
- Preserve leading zeros in account references, product codes and other identifiers.
- Check totals against the source and look for numbers recognized or imported as text.
Neither OCR nor local conversion guarantees perfect formatting or recognition. See how to correct misaligned table data and the bank-statement conversion checklist for related checks.
Need help?
Contact xuehui@leopdf.com with your platform, app version, conversion type and a description of what happened. Do not email confidential documents just to report a problem.