PDF Conversion Issues

Fix Incorrect Formatting When Converting PDF to Excel or Word

Ayan Masood Oct 23, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user experiences incorrect formatting, garbled text, or lost layouts when converting a PDF file into editable Excel or Word formats.

How to Fix Incorrect Formatting When Converting PDF to Word or Excel

Product: PDF Converters
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Converting a PDF document to a Microsoft Office format (Word or Excel) for editing or printing.
Observed behavior: The converted Word or Excel document does not retain the original formatting and cannot be printed to look like the source document.

Before you start

Check if your PDF is a scanned image rather than a text-based document, as scanned files require a converter with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) enabled to format correctly.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify File Specifics and Check Embedded Fonts

Determine if the formatting issue is isolated to a specific PDF file or caused by missing embedded fonts during the document's creation.

PDFs rely on embedded fonts to display text exactly as intended. If the fonts are not fully embedded in the original PDF, the conversion tool will attempt to substitute them, which often leads to misaligned text, incorrect spacing, or completely garbled output.

Test a different file

Convert a different PDF document to Word or Excel to see if the formatting issue persists. If the new file converts perfectly, the problem is specific to the original PDF.

Open PDF Properties

Open the problematic original PDF in your PDF reader (such as WPS PDF or Adobe Acrobat). Navigate to 'File' and select 'Properties'.

Check the Fonts tab

Click on the 'Fonts' tab in the Document Properties window. Review the list of fonts used in the document.

Verify embedding status

Check if the fonts have '(Embedded)' or '(Embedded Subset)' written next to them. If they do not, the fonts are missing from the file, which is likely causing the conversion formatting errors.

Verify File Specifics and Check Embedded Fonts

Adobe Export PDF Users: If you are using Adobe Export PDF, review Adobe's official guidance for garbled or incorrectly formatted text, which often involves re-creating the PDF with proper font encoding.

Solution 2

Re-create the PDF with Proper Encoding

If the fonts are not embedded or the text is improperly encoded, re-creating the PDF from the original source file can resolve conversion issues.

High-Quality PDF Conversion

Use WPS Office for Accurate PDF to Office Conversions

WPS Office provides advanced, high-fidelity PDF conversion tools designed to preserve your original layouts, fonts, and table formatting when converting to Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.

1. Open the PDF: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF document.
2. Select the Conversion Tool: Navigate to the 'Tools' tab and select either 'PDF to Word' or 'PDF to Excel', depending on your target format.
3. Adjust Settings: In the conversion dialog, choose your desired layout settings and ensure OCR is checked if your document is a scan.
4. Convert and Edit: Click 'Convert'. The newly created document will automatically open, fully editable and compatible with Microsoft Office.

High conversion accuracy that retains original layouts and fontsFully compatible with Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx)Built-in OCR technology to extract text from scanned PDFs accuratelyLightweight, fast, and easy to use on multiple platforms

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the text garbled after converting a PDF to Word?

Garbled text usually occurs when the original PDF was created using non-standard font encoding, or if the original fonts were not embedded in the file. Using a high-quality converter with OCR capabilities can sometimes bypass this by visually recognizing the text.

Can I retain the exact table layout when converting PDF to Excel?

Yes, but it depends heavily on how the table was originally formatted in the PDF. Using an advanced conversion tool like WPS PDF to Excel ensures better retention of exact rows, columns, and cell borders.

What should I do if my scanned PDF converts to an uneditable image in Word?

A scanned PDF is essentially a flat image. To make the text editable in Word, you need to use a PDF converter that features OCR (Optical Character Recognition). OCR scans the image, identifies the letters, and converts them into editable text.

Does converting a PDF to Excel keep the formulas intact?

No. PDF files only store static text and layout data, not the underlying formulas or calculations. When converted back to Excel, you will get the exact numbers and layout, but you will need to re-enter any formulas manually.

PDF Troubleshooting