Converting Google Sheets into PDF format can be a real lifesaver when you need to share or print your data in a polished, professional manner. However, if you’re unfamiliar with the process, it can be a bit confusing, leaving you frustrated when your document doesn’t look as expected. Missteps in the conversion process can lead to poorly formatted PDFs that are difficult to read or print. In this guide, we will walk you through the simple steps to save your Google Sheets as a PDF, ensuring your document looks great every time.
How To Save Google Sheets As PDF?
Google Sheets is great for managing data, but sometimes you need to share your work as a PDF. This is useful for archiving, presenting, or making sure it’s compatible across different devices. Converting Google Sheets to PDF is straightforward and important.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to save Google Sheets as a PDF in different ways. You can download it directly, convert it through email, or use online tools. Each method is explained step by step so you can easily manage your files in PDF format.
1. Download Google Sheet As PDF On Desktop
Converting your Google Sheet to a PDF on a desktop is simple and ensures your document’s format stays consistent. Here’s how to easily convert a Google Sheet to a PDF and export it directly to your desktop.
- Go to the Google Sheets website and open the document you want to convert.
- Click on File in the top menu, then choose Download from the dropdown.
- A menu with various formats will appear. Select PDF from the side menu.
- A preview window will open with several settings to configure, including:
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- Export: Choose whether to export the current sheet, a specific range, or all sheets in the document.
- Paper Size: Select the paper size for your PDF, such as A4, Letter, or others, depending on your needs.
- Page Orientation: Decide if you want the PDF in portrait or landscape mode.
- Scale: Adjust the scale to fit more or less data on each page. You can fit to width, height, or a custom percentage.
- Margins: Set the margins to normal, narrow, or custom to control the white space around your content.
- Set Custom Page Breaks: Manually set where pages break to ensure your data is presented in an optimal format.
- Adjust these settings as needed.
- Next, scroll down and expand the Formatting section by clicking the arrow next to it. In this section, you can decide whether to show gridlines and notes, as well as customize page numbering, the title to display, the sheet name, and the time.
- When you’re done with the changes, click Export at the top right corner. The PDF will be saved on your desktop.
2. Save Google Sheet As PDF On Mobile
Google Sheets also makes it easy to save your documents as PDFs from your mobile device. Whether you’re on Android or iOS, you can quickly convert your sheets to PDF format.
On Android:
- Open the Google Sheets app on your mobile device and access the spreadsheet you want to save as a PDF. Tap the three vertical dots in the top right corner to open the menu. Select Share & export from the options.
- Then, tap Save as and choose PDF Document (.pdf) from the formats list. A preview of the PDF will appear. In the preview, tap the download icon next to the PDF name to save it to your device
On iPhone:
While Google Sheets doesn’t offer a direct option to save sheets as PDFs, you can still share your Google Sheets as PDFs with others. Here’s how:
- Open your Google Spreadsheet in the Google Sheets app. Tap the three dots in the top right corner, then select “Share & export” from the menu. After that, choose “Send a copy,” which will bring up a list of formats.
- Select “PDF” from the list. Finally, choose a platform from the options that appear on your screen and share your PDF.
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Convert your Google Sheets as PDFs directly via email is another efficient option. Here’s how to do:
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Open the document you wish to convert. Then, click on “File” in the top menu and select “Email” from the dropdown. In the submenu that appears, choose “Email this file,” which will open a dialog box.
3. Convert Google Sheets To PDF Via Email Attachment
Apart from saving Google Sheets to PDF on your desktop, you can also convert and share your sheets via email. This method is especially useful if you need to send your documents quickly without downloading them first. Here’s how you can convert Google Sheets to PDF via email attachment:
- Open the Google Sheets document you want to convert.
- Click on File in the top menu, then select Email.
- From the submenu, choose Email this file. This will open a dialog box.
- If you want to receive a copy of the email and attachments, make sure to check the box next to “Send yourself a copy.” In the “To” section, enter the recipient’s email address, or your own if you want to send it to yourself.
- Next, click the file type dropdown menu and select “PDF.” Finally, click “Send.” Your Google Sheet will then be converted to a PDF and sent as an email attachment to the specified recipient.
4. Convert Google Sheets To PDF Using Online Converter Tools
Using online tools to convert Google Sheets to PDF can provide additional formatting options and is ideal for more complex sheets. Here’s how to use these tools:
- First, open your Google Sheets document and ensure it is saved and accessible. Then, go to a reliable online converter tool using your web browser, such as Smallpdf, PDF2Go, or ILovePDF.
- Follow the instructions on the converter tool’s website to upload your Google Sheets document; you can usually upload the file directly from your Google Drive or your computer.
- After uploading, choose PDF as the output format. Click the convert button and wait for the process to complete. Once the conversion is done, download the PDF file to your device.
How To Print Google Sheets As PDF?
Printing your Google Sheets as a PDF helps ensure your documents are well-formatted and easily shareable. Here’s how you can do it:
- Access the Google Sheet you want to print.
- Click on File in the top menu, select ‘Print’, or use the shortcut Ctrl (Windows) + P or Command + P (Mac).
- Change the printer destination to ‘Save as PDF’ in the print settings.
- Adjust any additional settings as needed, such as the pages per sheet or margins.
- Click ‘Save’ to download the PDF or print it directly if needed.
How To Embed Google Sheets To A Website As PDF?
Embedding a PDF version of your Google Sheets on a website makes it accessible for viewers directly on your site. Follow these steps to embed your sheet:
- To embed a Google Sheets document, start by opening the document you wish to embed. Next, click on “File” located in the top menu and select “Share” from the dropdown options.
- From the side menu, choose “Publish to the Web.”
- In the link tab, navigate to “Entire Document” and select the portion you want to embed. Then, use the “Web page” dropdown menu and select “PDF document.”
- Afterward, click the “Publish” button and confirm by clicking “OK” when prompted by docs.google.com.
After publishing the document, Google Sheets gives you a shareable link and an embed code. You can use these to embed the selected spreadsheet as a PDF on your website.
If you want to stop publishing, begin by opening the spreadsheet.
- Then, click on “File” and choose “Share.”
- Afterward, navigate to the Link tab and expand the “Published content and settings” section.
- Finally, click on “Stop publishing” to discontinue displaying the spreadsheet’s content on your website.
FAQs:
Google Sheets itself does not offer direct options to password-protect or restrict editing permissions for PDFs. However, you can explore third-party PDF editing tools or Google Drive’s sharing settings to add additional security measures to your PDF files.
While Google Sheets provides a built-in option, there are third-party tools and services available that offer additional features or might be suitable for specific needs.
Absolutely! In the print settings, select the option to print ‘Workbook’. This setting consolidates all the sheets in your Google Sheets file into a single PDF file.
You can use Google Apps Script to create a script that automatically converts your Google Sheets into PDFs. This script can be triggered manually or set to run at specific intervals.
Check the image resolution and scaling options in your Google Sheet. High-resolution images and appropriate scaling can improve PDF quality.
Google Sheets attempts to automatically determine page breaks, but you can influence them by adjusting row heights and column widths. Inserting page breaks manually might also be helpful in some cases.
Conclusion
Saving your Google Sheets as a PDF is an effective way to keep the layout and information intact. By following the steps, you can create a shareable and printable version of your documents. This ensures they look professional and can be accessed on different platforms. Whether for business, school, or personal use, learning this feature will improve your productivity and help you manage your documents better.
