# Excel to PDF

> A free online tool that converts an Excel workbook (XLSX, XLS or ODS) to a PDF with each visible sheet printed on its saved page setup, using LibreOffice, with substitute fonts and without running any macros.

Convert Excel files to PDF here for free, with no signup. Choose your XLSX, XLS or ODS file, wait a few seconds and download the PDF. The conversion runs on our server with LibreOffice, not with Microsoft Excel. Each sheet is printed with the page setup saved in the file, and fonts that are not installed there are replaced by similar ones, so page breaks can differ from Excel. Check the PDF before you send it.

## Key facts

- Input: one XLSX, XLS or ODS file up to 10 MB without an account (50 MB signed in), read by content; a file with an open password is refused. The PDF stops at 50 pages without an account (500 signed in), and a conversion stops after 30 seconds (60 signed in).
- Each sheet uses the paper size, orientation, scaling and print area saved in the file; a sheet wider than the page with no scaling continues on the next pages; hidden sheets are not printed; number formats are kept.
- The conversion runs with LibreOffice, not Excel: Calibri, Cambria, Arial, Times New Roman and Courier New are drawn with Carlito, Caladea and Liberation fonts of the same widths, and other fonts that are not installed are replaced by Noto fonts, so page breaks can differ from Excel; a workbook with macros is converted and the macros are not run.
- In our test a generated workbook of 20 KB with 6 sheets, one of them hidden, became a 10 page PDF of 42 KB in about 0.7 seconds of job time, and a sheet with 24 columns and no scaling became 3 pages while the same columns saved as one page wide became 1 page; results vary with the file.
- API: POST the file to https://api.aiipworld.com/v1/uploads with Content-Type application/octet-stream, then POST https://api.aiipworld.com/v1/pdf-jobs with op office_to_pdf, an empty params object and the upload id, and poll GET /v1/jobs/:id.
- Free without an account: 10 files per day per visitor, no watermark. Signed in, each file costs 1 credit, plus 1 credit for each started 50 pages of the PDF beyond the first 50 and 1 credit for each started 20 MB beyond the first 20 MB; failed conversions are refunded (100 free credits every month).
- Files are deleted automatically: 10 minutes after conversion without an account, 1 day with a free account.

## Sources

- [Ecma International: ECMA-376 Office Open XML file formats](https://ecma-international.org/publications-and-standards/standards/ecma-376/)
- [LibreOffice: supported file formats](https://www.libreoffice.org/discover/libreoffice/)
- [PDF Association: ISO 32000-2 (PDF 2.0)](https://pdfa.org/resource/iso-32000-2/)

Last reviewed: 2026-10-15

## How it works

1. Choose your workbook. The tool reads XLSX, XLS and ODS files, and it checks the file type from the content, not from the name.
2. Press "Convert Excel to PDF". Without an account you pass a short human check first.
3. Wait for the result panel. It shows a preview, the page count and the time the conversion took.
4. Download the PDF and page through it before you send it. Check where the pages break, because wide sheets can continue on the next pages.

## How to convert Excel to PDF

Convert Excel to PDF in four steps: choose the file, run the conversion, look at the preview, and download the PDF. The tool returns one PDF with the sheets one after another, named like your file with the ending .pdf. Your original file is not changed.

You can convert Excel to PDF online with this tool without installing anything. Anonymous use needs a human check through Cloudflare Turnstile. Signed-in users skip it and use credits.

- Keep your original workbook. The PDF is a printout, not an editable copy.
- Page through the PDF once before you send it, and check where each sheet breaks.

## XLSX, XLS and ODS files

The tool reads XLSX (the newer Excel format), XLS (the older one) and ODS (OpenDocument, written by LibreOffice and others). The type is read from the file content, so a renamed file is still recognised, and a file that is not an Office or OpenDocument file is refused. A CSV file is plain text and is not accepted here; use CSV to PDF for that.

If you search for xlsx to pdf, xls to pdf or convert excel to pdf, this is the same tool. The same converter reads Word and PowerPoint files too, but this page is written and tested for spreadsheets. For presentations use PPT to PDF.

## How sheets become pages

Each sheet is printed with the page setup saved in the file: the paper size, the orientation, the scaling and the print area. In our test a sheet saved as landscape stayed landscape, and a sheet with 24 columns saved as fit all columns on one page became one page. A sheet with a saved print area printed only that area: in our test a sheet of 40 rows and 10 columns with the print area A1:C5 became one page.

A sheet that is wider than the page and has no scaling continues on the next pages. In our test a sheet with 24 columns and no scaling became three pages, with columns 1 to 10, 11 to 20 and 21 to 24, while the same columns saved as fit all columns on one page became one page. This is the usual reason for a PDF with more pages than you expected. To get one page wide, set the scaling in Excel (fit all columns on one page) and save the file before you upload it.

## Hidden sheets, number formats and charts

Hidden sheets are not printed. In our test a workbook with one hidden sheet gave a PDF without it. Number formats are kept, such as a dollar sign and two decimals, and a chart that fits inside the page is drawn.

A chart that stands across the right edge of the page is cut across two pages: in our test a chart placed beside a narrow table gave a second page for the part that did not fit. Keep charts inside the page width.

## What happens to the fonts

The converter is LibreOffice, not Excel. Microsoft's own fonts are not installed on our server. Calibri is drawn with Carlito, Cambria with Caladea, Arial with Liberation Sans, Times New Roman with Liberation Serif and Courier New with Liberation Mono. These substitutes have the same character widths, so columns and page breaks usually stay the same. Fonts such as Segoe UI, Aptos, Verdana, Tahoma, Comic Sans MS and Georgia are not installed and are replaced by Noto Sans or Noto Serif, which have other widths, so text can need more or less room.

The fonts used are embedded in the PDF, so the PDF looks the same on every device. This tool does not claim to match Excel exactly. Check the PDF before you send it, especially long numbers in narrow columns.

Chinese, Japanese and Korean text uses Noto CJK fonts that are installed. Chinese text that has no language set in the file is drawn with Simplified Chinese letter shapes, and text marked as Traditional Chinese, Japanese or Korean uses those shapes.

## Macros and password-protected files

A workbook with macros, such as an XLSM file, is converted as it is. The macros are not run, the PDF has none, and the result panel tells you that the file had macros. Be careful with a file that has macros if you did not expect them.

A workbook that has an open password is refused, and no credits are used. An XLSX file gets a message that says it is password-protected. An old XLS file may get a message that the file looks damaged instead, because the converter cannot open it either way. Remove the password in Excel, save the file, and upload it again.

## Limits: size, pages, time and credits

A file can be up to 10 MB without an account and 50 MB signed in. The PDF stops at 50 pages without an account and at 500 pages signed in. A large sheet can make many pages, so when the PDF reaches the limit the result panel says so, and the rest of the workbook is not converted. A conversion is stopped after 30 seconds without an account and 60 seconds signed in. Free web tool use is limited to 10 files per day per visitor.

A conversion uses 1 credit, plus 1 credit for each started 50 pages of the PDF after the first 50 pages, plus 1 credit for each started 20 MB of the PDF after the first 20 MB. Failed and timed-out conversions are refunded in full. Results are kept for 10 minutes in the free web tool.

## Convert Excel to PDF from code

Upload the file first. Send a POST to https://api.aiipworld.com/v1/uploads with the raw bytes and Content-Type application/octet-stream. The answer has an upload_id. Then send a POST to https://api.aiipworld.com/v1/pdf-jobs with JSON {op, params, files: [upload_id]}, using op office_to_pdf and an empty params object. Poll GET /v1/jobs/:id until the job succeeds, fails or times out.

There are no settings to send. The page shows a ready cURL, Node and Python example. Errors include 422 password_protected, 415 unsupported_file, 422 not_an_office_file, 413 file_too_large and 429 office_daily_quota_exceeded, and job errors such as corrupt_input, unsupported_input, timeout and memory_limit.

## Questions

### Can I convert Excel to PDF for free?

Yes, you can convert Excel to PDF for free in the web tool, with no signup. Anonymous use needs a human check, and it is limited per day per visitor.

### How do you change an Excel file to a PDF?

Choose the Excel file, press the button and wait for the result panel. Check the preview and download the PDF. Each visible sheet is printed with its saved page setup.

### What is the difference between XLSX and XLS?

XLS is the older Excel file format and XLSX is the newer one. This tool reads both, and it also reads ODS files from LibreOffice and others.

### Why does my PDF have more pages than I expected?

A sheet that is wider than the page and has no scaling continues on the next pages. In our test a sheet with 24 columns became three pages. Set the scaling in Excel to fit all columns on one page, save the file, and upload it again.

### Does the PDF follow the page setup of my sheets?

Yes, each sheet uses the paper size, orientation, scaling and print area saved in the file. In our test a landscape sheet stayed landscape, a sheet saved as one page wide became one page, and a sheet with a saved print area printed only that area.

### Are hidden sheets in the PDF?

No. Hidden sheets are not printed. In our test a workbook with one hidden sheet gave a PDF without it.

### Will the PDF look exactly like my workbook in Excel?

Often close, but not always exactly. The conversion runs with LibreOffice, and fonts that are not installed on our server are replaced by similar ones, so text can need more or less room and page breaks can move. Check the PDF before you send it.

### Does the tool run the macros in my workbook?

No. A file with macros is converted as it is, the macros are not run, and the PDF has none. The result panel tells you that the file had macros.

### Can I convert a password-protected Excel file?

No. A workbook with an open password is refused, and no credits are used. Remove the password in Excel and upload the file again.

### How many pages can the PDF have?

The PDF can have up to 50 pages without an account and 500 pages signed in. A longer result is cut at the limit, and the result panel says so.

### Is my workbook kept on your server?

The uploaded file is deleted as soon as the conversion ends. The PDF is kept for 10 minutes in the free web tool, so you can download it, and then it is deleted.

### Can I convert a CSV file here?

No, a CSV file is plain text and is refused by this tool. Use CSV to PDF for that.

### Can I convert Excel to PDF in my own code?

Yes, you can use the API with op office_to_pdf. Upload the file, create a job, and poll until it finishes. There are no settings to send.

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Page: https://aiipworld.com/tools/excel-to-pdf/