Free Online XLS to PDF Converter
Convert legacy Excel XLS spreadsheets to PDF online for free. Fast, secure conversion — no signup, no software to install.
Max file size 50MB. Sign up for more.
| File Name | Size | Convert To |
|---|
Checking files and selected output formats.
XLS to PDF: the print layout becomes the document
The PDF is built from the workbook’s print settings, not from what fills the screen — print area, page breaks, scaling, repeated header rows. A sheet nobody has ever printed usually has none of those set sensibly, which is why a tidy spreadsheet becomes a PDF with columns stranded on their own pages.
Convert to circulate figures that should not be edited, or to attach to a record. Set the print area and fit-to-width in the spreadsheet first; it decides almost everything about the result.
XLS vs PDF: Side-by-side
Technical comparison of the two formats — useful for deciding which to use, or for confirming what changes during conversion.
| Property | XLS | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Microsoft Excel (legacy) | Portable Document Format |
| Year introduced | 1987 | 1993 |
| Developer / standard body | Microsoft | Adobe |
| MIME type | application/vnd.ms-excel | application/pdf |
| File extension | .xls | |
| Compression | Binary Interchange File Format | Built-in (FlateDecode, DCTDecode) |
| Color / data depth | N/A | Vector + raster |
| Max dimensions / size | 65,536 rows × 256 columns | 381 km × 381 km (15,000 × 15,000 inches) |
| Transparency | No | Yes |
| Animation | No | No |
| Standard / specification | Microsoft (binary) | ISO 32000 |
| Best for | Excel 97–2003 compatibility | Final-form documents, contracts, archives — looks identical everywhere |
XLS to PDF FAQ
Quick answers about compatibility, quality, metadata handling, and the most common reasons to convert XLS files to PDF.
How do I convert XLS to PDF?
What is XLS?
Is XLS to PDF conversion free?
How do I open XLS files?
Why does my spreadsheet split across several PDF pages?
Do formulas still work in the PDF?
Are all worksheets included or just the active one?
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