Fix Power Query Get Data from PDF Missing in Excel for Mac
Question details
The user is trying to use Power Query to import data from a PDF file in Excel for Mac, but the feature is completely missing from the Get Data menu.
- Product
- Excel
- Device & OS
- Mac
- Scenario
- Attempting to automate data extraction or pull a table from a PDF document into a spreadsheet using Power Query.
- Observed behavior
- The 'Get Data > From File > From PDF' option, which is available on Windows, does not appear in the Excel for Mac ribbon.
Ensure your Microsoft 365 subscription is active and your Mac software is updated to the latest version. Please note that Power Query connectors still differ significantly between Windows and Mac environments.
Use the 'Insert Data from Picture' Feature
Since direct PDF import is missing in Mac's Power Query, you can use Excel's built-in optical character recognition (OCR) tool to extract tabular data from screenshots.
Excel for Mac supports a 'Data from Picture' feature that analyzes an image and extracts the text into spreadsheet cells. This serves as an excellent workaround for grabbing tables from PDF files without typing them manually.
Open your PDF document using Preview or any PDF reader. Adjust the zoom so the data table is clearly visible, then press Cmd + Shift + 4 to capture a screenshot of the specific table.
Open your Excel for Mac workbook. Navigate to the 'Insert' tab on the top ribbon and select the 'Data from Picture' option.
Choose 'Picture from File' from the dropdown and locate the screenshot you just took of the PDF. If you copied it to the clipboard, select 'Picture from Clipboard'.
Excel will analyze the image and present a preview window. Review the extracted data, correct any OCR misinterpretations highlighted in red, and click 'Insert Data' to place it into your worksheet.
Manually Copy and Paste from PDF
If the PDF contains selectable text, standard copying and pasting combined with Excel's text formatting tools can quickly import simple data.
Submit Feedback for Feature Parity
Microsoft relies on user requests to prioritize feature updates. Let the development team know you need the PDF Power Query connector on Mac.
Easily Extract PDF Data to Spreadsheets with WPS Office
Don't struggle with missing Power Query features or messy OCR workarounds. WPS Office provides a powerful, built-in PDF to Excel converter that seamlessly extracts tables from PDF files directly into fully editable spreadsheets.
- 1. Open your PDF in WPS: Launch WPS Office and open your target PDF file using the built-in WPS PDF tool.
- 2. Access the PDF to Excel tool: Navigate to the 'Tools' tab on the top ribbon and click on the 'PDF to Excel' button.
- 3. Set conversion preferences: In the pop-up dialogue, specify the page range you want to convert to exclude unnecessary text pages.
- 4. Convert and edit: Click 'Convert'. Once processing is complete, your data will automatically open as a perfectly formatted spreadsheet in WPS Spreadsheet, ready for analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'Get Data from PDF' missing in Excel for Mac?
Microsoft has not yet achieved full feature parity between the Windows and Mac versions of Excel. While Windows users have access to a wide array of Power Query data connectors including PDF, the Mac version currently only supports a limited subset like CSV, text, and SQL databases.
Will Microsoft add PDF import to Power Query for Mac?
Microsoft continually rolls out updates for Microsoft 365 subscribers. While there is no official timeline for releasing the PDF connector for Mac, user feedback heavily influences development priorities. Submitting a request through the Help menu can accelerate its inclusion.
Can I use Power Query to import CSV files on Excel for Mac?
Yes. Although the PDF option is missing, you can still use Power Query on Excel for Mac to import and transform data from Text files, CSV files, HTML web pages, and other Excel workbooks by going to Data > Get Data (Power Query).
