Insert a PDF into Excel as an Image

When a PDF just needs to be visible in a worksheet (a signed approval, a reference chart, a scanned receipt), converting it to an image and inserting that is more reliable across Excel Online, Mac, and Windows than embedding the PDF as an object.

Your file is processed entirely in your browser. It is never uploaded to any server.

How to insert a PDF into Excel as an image, step by step

  1. Choose your PDF above. Set a page range if you only need specific pages, or leave it blank for all pages.
  2. Click Convert to PNG and save the image(s).
  3. In Excel, select the cell area near where the image should sit, then Insert → Pictures → This Device.
  4. Select the PNG(s). Excel places the image as a floating object; drag a corner to resize it to fit your worksheet layout.
  5. Right-click the image → Size and Properties if you want it to resize or move with the underlying cells as you edit the sheet.

Sizing and anchoring images so they don't wreck your layout

By default, an inserted picture in Excel floats independently of the grid, meaning it can end up overlapping cells after you insert rows or resize columns. In the picture's Size and Properties panel, choose "Move and size with cells" if you want the image to behave more predictably as the sheet changes, or "Don't move or size with cells" if you'd rather it stay fixed regardless of edits below it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I insert a PDF into Excel as an image for free?

Yes. Convert the PDF to PNG here at no cost, then use Excel's own free Insert → Pictures command.

Will the image resize automatically if I adjust column widths?

Only if you set that picture's anchoring to "Move and size with cells" in its Size and Properties panel. By default, images float independently.

Is this more reliable than embedding the PDF as an object?

For viewing across different platforms (Excel Online, Mac, Windows), yes: pictures render consistently everywhere, while object embedding support varies.

Can I insert a multi-page PDF as multiple images across a sheet?

Yes. Convert without a page range to get every page as a separate PNG, then insert each into its own area of the worksheet.

Related Tools