2 Ways for How to Copy Table from PDF to Word

Of all components of a PDF file, a table with complicated and numerous values may be the most difficult to edit. Yet, you simply cannot move the table from Word to PDF by simply copying and pasting. Doing so almost always results in a few lost values.

It is also likely that by trying to copy a table from PDF to Word, you will lose the formatting of the table and if it is complicated, you may have a very hard time figuring out where the values go. To avoid all these issues, your best bet is to convert the PDF to Word without losing the formatting. Here, we show you how to do that easily with UPDF and Acrobat.

Way 1. How to Copy and Paste a Table from PDF to Word Without Losing Formatting

The best way to copy and paste a table from PDF to Word is to convert the PDF to Word format. UPDF will allow you to do that without losing the formatting of the original PDF. This means that all the values on the table will remain intact, eliminating the confusion of having to figure out where everything should be.

UPDF is also a very simple solution. The whole process even when converting a large file will take only a few minutes. Here's how the process works:

Step 1: Select the "Export PDF" Option

Open UPDF on your computer and then click on the "Open File" button. This will open your computer's file explorer and you can choose the PDF file with a table that you would like to convert.

Alternatively, you can simply drag and drop the file into this main interface to import it into the program.

In the right panel, click on the "Export PDF" icon.

how to copy and paste a table from pdf to word without losing formatting

Step 2: Set Word as the Output Format

Then select the "Word" option as the output format.

how to copy and paste a table from pdf to word

In the pop-up window, you can set the page range.

Once done, click the "Export" button. After that, the conversion process will then begin immediately and you should see the progress next to the document.

Note: If the document is a scanned PDF, you can perform the "Recognize Text Using OCR" option first before exporting. Here is a detailed guide on how to turn scanned PDFs into editable ones.

Step 3: Open and Copy Table to Word

When the conversion is complete, the output folder you selected will open and you can open the newly converted Word document to see the converted table.

You will find that the table is converted to your Word document successfully without losing the layout and format. Let's say, the table in your Word document looks like exactly the same as the original table in your PDF document. Amazing, right?

You can either use the current converted Word document, you can also copy the table to your destinated Word document.

This is the whole process to copy and paste a table from PDF to Word. Easy, right? Try it Now!

Way 2. How to Copy and Paste a Table from PDF to Word with Adobe Acrobat

You can also easily transfer the PDF document to Word using Adobe Acrobat. This is the premier PDF creation and editing tool that can also be used to convert PDF documents to other formats. Install Adobe Acrobat onto your computer and then follow these steps to convert the PDF file to Word:

How do I copy and paste a table from PDF to Word?

Step 1: Find the PDF file on your computer right-click on it and choose "Open With > Adobe Acrobat."
Step 2: Once the document is open in Adobe Acrobat, click on "File" in the top-right corner.
Step 3: From the options that show up, select "Convert to Word, Excel, or PowerPoint."
Step 4: This will open the conversion window. Click on the "Export to Word" option and your PDF will be converted to Word format.

You can then open the resultant Word document and then copy and paste the table to a new Word document. Please note, however, that this method will only be useful to you if you sign in to your Adobe account. Adobe Acrobat is also an expensive premium tool that you need to purchase to use.

Here I want to compare the price, performance, and rating between UPDF and Acrobat in order to let you choose wisely.

	UPDF	Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
Price	US$39.99/Year US$59.99/Perpetual	US$239.88/Year
System Compatibility	Windows Mac iOS Android	Windows Mac iOS Android
Easy to Use
All-in-one Platform
Convert PDF to Office Format	To Word, Excel, CSV, and PowerPoint	To Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (Doesn't support CSV)
Convert PDF to GIF
Keep Original Formatting and Layout
OCR
UI Design Rating	4.9	4.3
Running Speed	4.8	4.0

For a more detailed comparison, please check this article about Adobe vs. UPDF.

Through the comparison chart, you can see that Adobe Acrobat is no doubt a good PDF converter, however, it is complex to use, and the price is way too high for personal users and business users. If you want to have the most cost-effective PDF converter, UPDF is your best choice.

The performance of UPDF is high and you can rely on the speed of UPDF to open your documents. And it is an all-in-one PDF solution with an OCR feature included. What are you waiting for if you have such a good alternative with the same features but at a much lower price? Download it now and try it for free!