# Convert Excel files to PDFs

There are plenty of good reasons for converting an Excel file to a PDF. For example, if you’re emailing an Excel file, you may want to convert it to a format that cannot easily be modified. A PDF document is subject to an editing restriction and is displayed in the same formatting on all computer types. For added security, **[PDF files can be effectively encrypted](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/online-marketing/online-sales/password-protect-pdf/ "Password protect pdf")**. To convert an Excel file to a PDF, you could use online tools, but it’s even easier to export from .xls to .pdf directly in Excel.

## Create a PDF in Excel: A step-by-step guide

Excel provides two options for converting a .xls to a .pdf. For one, you can **save** the Excel file in PDF format, or you can export the PDF file. Both options require similar steps:

**Step 1**: In Excel, select the “**File**” menu item at the top left. This opens up the different options to save a document.

[![Image: Screenshot of “File” menu item in MS Excel](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/4/f/csm_screenshot-of-file-menu-item-in-ms-excel_5457f866f4.webp "Screenshot of “File” menu item in MS Excel")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2020/screenshot-of-file-menu-item-in-ms-excel.png) Screenshot of “File” menu item in MS Excel **Step 2**: Now, select either “**Export**”(see Step 3) or “**Save As**” (see Step 4).

[![Image: Screenshot of MS Excel “Save As,” or alternatively, “Export”](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/5/b/csm_screenshot-of-ms-excel-save-as-or-alternatively-export_08242b2410.webp "Screenshot of MS Excel “Save As,” or alternatively, “Export”")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2020/screenshot-of-ms-excel-save-as-or-alternatively-export.png) Screenshot of MS Excel “Save As,” or alternatively, “Export” **Step 3**: If you have selected “**Export,**” choose “**Create PDF document**” to save the document in the .pdf format. Specify the desired file name and file location, then click on “**Publish**”. The PDF has now been created.

**Step 4**: If you chose “**Save As**” in Step 2, you need to select a file name and a specific location where you wish to save a file. “**Save as type**” allows you to select “**PDF**”. Hit “**Save**” and the PDF will be saved on your desktop.

[![Image: Screenshot of MS Excel “Save As” and file type selection](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/d/4/csm_screenshot-of-ms-excel-save-as-and-file-type-selection_06df9cc0cb.webp "Screenshot of MS Excel “Save As” and file type selection")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2020/screenshot-of-ms-excel-save-as-and-file-type-selection.png) Screenshot of MS Excel “Save As” and file type selection  Tip [Word files can be converted into PDFs](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/online-marketing/online-sales/how-to-save-as-pdf/ "How to save as PDF") in a very similar way.


This is a markdown version of: [https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/online-marketing/online-sales/convert-excel-to-pdf/](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/online-marketing/online-sales/convert-excel-to-pdf/) for AI/LLM consumption.