How to Embed a PDF in Excel

You may have used Excel to extract a table from a PDF, but if you only want to view your PDF in Excel, you can embed the file. Embedding your PDF means that you will be able to view the entire document in your Excel spreadsheet, but it won’t link back to the original document.

To embed your PDF, first go to the Insert tab near the top left of the screen. After selecting Insert, choose Text on the right-hand side of the screen. From the drop-down menu that appears, choose Object. When you select Object a new window will appear with two tabs at the top: Create New and Create from File. You can use either one of these tabs to insert your PDF. To insert a PDF using Create New, select your file type from the list of options provided under Object type. Once you select the correct file type, click OK. This will open your PDF reader and give you a list of PDF documents you can open. Choose the PDF you want to add to your Excel spreadsheet and click Open. This will open the PDF in your PDF reader and add the PDF to your Excel spreadsheet. To insert a PDF using Create from File, select Browse and choose your PDF from the list of documents that appears. Next, click Open. After the file location address is added under File name, click OK. Now your PDF is embedded in your Excel spreadsheet.

Sometimes you may want to be able to access a PDF’s original location after adding it to your Excel spreadsheet. To do so, you can link the PDF. This option is especially useful if you plan on making changes to the PDF, as linking the inserted PDF to the original file will ensure the original file retains any updates you make.

To link a PDF, go to the Insert tab and choose Object again. When the new window appears, select the Create from File tab. Click Browse and select the PDF you want to link from the list of documents that appears. Next, click Open. When you are back at the Create from File tab, check the box labeled Link to file on the right-hand side of the window. Once you click OK, the PDF will be inserted into your Excel spreadsheet with a link back to the original file. To see the link, click on the PDF. The address will appear in the text box above the spreadsheet’s cells.

How to Display a PDF as an Icon in Excel

You may not want to view the full version of your PDF in your Excel spreadsheet. As an alternative to inserting the entire PDF into your spreadsheet, you can insert your PDF as an icon. This is most useful for times when you want to link a PDF in your spreadsheet but not have the full document on display.

To display your PDF as an icon, go back to the Insert tab and select Object. If you want to link your PDF with your icon, choose the Create from File tab. Click Browse and select your PDF. Check the box on the right-hand side labeled Display as icon. Click OK. Now your PDF will appear as an icon in your Excel spreadsheet. If you would like to change the icon, choose Change icon above the OK button. You can choose one of the provided icon options or choose an icon from your files using the Browse button.

Formatting a PDF in Excel

You can adjust the size of the full PDF or icon by clicking on the PDF or icon and dragging it from the dots that appear, as you would insert an image into Excel. However, you can also format your PDF or icon to adjust as you change your cell sizes.

To do this, right-click on your PDF or icon and select Format Object. From the new window that appears, select the Properties tab. This tab gives you three options for adjustment: Move and size with cells, Move but don’t size with cells, and Don’t move or size with cells. The Move and size with cells option means your PDF or icon will change size and location as you move your columns and resize your cells in Excel. For example, if your PDF is in the B column, and you widen the A column, the PDF will move to the right as the B column moves to the right. If you widen the B column, the PDF will widen with it. The Move but don’t size with cells option means your PDF or icon will change location but not size when you resize your cells. Using the same example, if you widen the A column, the PDF will move to the right as the B column moves to the right. However, if you widen the B column, the PDF will not widen with it. The Don’t move or size with cells option keeps your PDF or icon anchored to where you inserted it. Resizing your cells will have no effect on the PDF or icon’s size or location—the file will always stay put. It’s important to note that if you hide a column or row in Excel, the PDF will not hide with the column or row. The hide function affects the size of the PDF for documents formatted with the Move and size with cells option. It does not impact the other two options.

Insert a PDF Into Your Next Excel Project

Inserting PDFs into your Excel spreadsheets can be very useful for a number of tasks, such as referencing and confirming information. No matter which method you use to insert your PDF, having it accessible while you are filling in or presenting a spreadsheet is helpful.

The ability to format your PDF within the spreadsheet makes it easy to incorporate without compromising the integrity of your spreadsheet. The next time you need to input an invoice or compare raw data to a presentation graph, try inserting a PDF into your Excel spreadsheet.