How to Insert Data in Excel from Picture

To insert data into Excel from a picture, go to the Data tab, select From Picture, and choose Picture From File or Picture From Clipboard. Excel reads the table in the image, shows you a preview to check, and adds the data to your sheet when you select Insert Data. On a phone or tablet, tap Insert > Data from Picture and take a photo instead.

Applies to: Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows and Mac, and the Excel mobile app. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 9, 2026.

Data from Picture is a Microsoft 365 feature. It turns a photo or screenshot of a printed table into rows and columns you can sort, filter, and calculate with, so you don’t have to type the numbers yourself.

Before you start

• Use Excel for Microsoft 365. If you don’t see From Picture on the Data tab, your version may not include it. Update Office from File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
• Stay online. The image is processed by Microsoft’s online service, so you need an internet connection.
• Get a clear image. Sharp, well-lit, straight-on pictures with printed text give the best results. Crop out anything that isn’t part of the table.

Insert data from a picture file or screenshot (Windows and Mac)

1. Save the image to your computer, or copy it to the clipboard. On Windows, Windows + Shift + S takes a screenshot of part of the screen and copies it.
2. Open Excel and select the cell where you want the top-left corner of the table to go.
3. Select the Data tab, then From Picture.
4. Select Picture From File and choose the image, or select Picture From Clipboard if you copied it.
5. The Data from Picture pane opens. Wait while Excel analyzes the image.
6. Check the preview. Cells Excel isn’t sure about are highlighted for review.
7. Select Review to go through each highlighted cell. Choose Ignore to keep Excel’s reading, or Edit to type the correct value.
8. Select Insert Data. Excel adds the table to your sheet.

Insert data from a photo on your phone or tablet

1. Open the workbook in the Excel app.
2. Tap Insert > Data from Picture.
3. Point the camera at the table until a red border surrounds it, then tap the capture button. Drag the handles to crop the image if you need to.
4. Excel shows any problems it found. Tap Ignore or Edit for each one.
5. Tap Insert.

The Microsoft 365 app on phones also has an image-to-table tool that creates a new Excel file from a photo.

Check and clean up the imported data

• Look for misread characters. Common mix-ups are 0 and O, 1 and l, 5 and S, and 8 and B. Scan number columns for letters.
• Check that numbers are numbers. If a column won’t add up, the values may have come in as text. Select the column and use Data > Text to Columns > Finish to convert them.
• Re-create formulas. Excel imports the values you can see, not the formulas that produced them, so totals are plain numbers.
• Reapply formatting. Colors, borders and fonts aren’t copied. Use Format as Table to tidy the result quickly.

Turn the result into an Excel table

Once the data is in your sheet, click any cell in it and press Ctrl + T. Check that My table has headers is ticked and select OK. You now get filter buttons on each header, banded rows, and a table that grows when you add rows. Add a Total Row from the Table Design tab to check the imported numbers against the totals in the original picture. If they don’t match, a value was probably misread.

If Data from Picture doesn’t work

• From Picture is missing or greyed out: you may be using Excel 2021 or 2024 rather than Microsoft 365, or your workplace may have turned off connected experiences. In Excel, check File > Account > Account Privacy > Manage Settings, or ask your IT team.
• Excel can’t find a table: the image may not show clear rows and columns. Crop tighter around the table, or take a sharper picture.
• Lots of cells need review: retake the photo in better light, flat and straight-on. For a screenshot, zoom in on the page first so the text is larger.
• Handwriting comes out wrong: the feature works best with printed text. Handwritten tables usually need more manual fixes.
• Merged or multi-line headers are split up: Excel reads each line separately. Fix the headers after you insert the data.

Other ways to get text from an image

• Snipping Tool in Windows 11: take a screenshot, select Text actions, then copy the text and paste it into Excel.
• OneNote: insert the picture, right-click it, and select Copy Text from Picture.
• PDF files: if your table is in a PDF instead of an image, it’s usually more accurate to convert PDF to Excel without losing formatting.

Frequently asked questions

Which image types can I use?

Common formats such as PNG and JPG work, along with screenshots copied to the clipboard.

Can I import a bank statement this way?

Yes, if it’s a clear image. Check every amount carefully afterward. For other methods, see how to convert a bank statement to Excel.

Which languages does it read?

Microsoft publishes a list of supported languages on its Data from Picture support page. Tables in other languages or scripts may not convert well.

Can I undo an import?

Yes. Press Ctrl + Z right after inserting, or delete the cells and try again with a better image.

Does it work in Excel 2021 or Excel 2024?

Microsoft offers it in Excel for Microsoft 365. One-time-purchase versions don’t get new features, so you may not have it there.

Is my picture sent to Microsoft?

The image is sent to Microsoft’s online service to be analyzed. If your data is sensitive, check your organization’s rules before you use the feature.

Related: how to open an Excel file in Google Sheets.

Related: how to create a word cloud in Excel.

Matt Jacobs

Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.

His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.