Today, you’ll learn how to save one sheet in Microsoft Excel as a PDF.

Often, you need to wrap up client reports and only send one worksheet from those reports, rather than the entire workbook.

It’s like printing just one section of a project plan for your manager, rather than the full binder. Seems simple, right?

But saving only one sheet as a PDF in Excel isn’t as straightforward as clicking the Print button. There are more puzzles in it.

If you’ve ever gotten lost in Excel’s endless menus or accidentally saved the entire file, you’re not alone. I’ve been there too.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the easiest ways to save just one sheet as a clean, professional-looking PDF.

Let’s dive into the steps together and learn a new Excel skill that saves hundreds of productive hours.

Using the Save As Option

The Save As feature of the Excel desktop app allows you to save an Excel worksheet or workbook in various Excel formats, including database files, CSVs, and PDFs.

So, you’ll probably rush to use this option to print a single worksheet as a PDF.

However, the process isn’t that straightforward since the single worksheet saving option isn’t visible.

You must unhide the option in the Save As dialog box. If you’re wondering how you’ve reached the right resource. Follow the steps mentioned below that show you how to find the feature and also save a worksheet in a PDF effortlessly.

Click on the worksheet tab that you want to save as a PDF so it becomes the active sheet.

Go to the File tab at the top-left corner of Excel to open the backstage menu.

Select Save As from the menu on the left side navigation panel, and then choose a location, like This PC, OneDrive, or Browse to open the Save As window.

In the Save as type drop-down list, scroll down and choose PDF (*.pdf) as the file format.

Click the Options button located near the Optimise for button to open the Options dialog box.

In the Options window, under Publish what, select Active sheet(s) and then click OK.

Back in the Save As window, give your PDF file a name and choose your folder location.

Click the Save button to create the PDF from your current worksheet.

Now open the newly created PDF file in the destination directory to access the printed content of the active worksheet.

Using the Export Menu

The Export menu in Microsoft Excel provides a built-in way to save your worksheet as a PDF using clear options designed for sharing and publishing.

It’s built right into Excel, so you don’t need any add-ins or advanced settings to use it effectively.

What makes this method convenient is how it walks you through creating a PDF with just a few clicks while allowing you to fine-tune the export settings.

You can easily choose to export only the active worksheet, so there’s no risk of sending unnecessary sheets.

If you’re looking for a dependable way to convert one sheet into a professional PDF, the Export feature is one of the cleanest options available.

Follow these steps to save one sheet in Microsoft Excel as a PDF using the Export menu:

Excel Desktop App

Navigate to the Excel worksheet that you wish to print as a PDF file.

Go to the File tab on the top-left corner of Excel to open the backstage view.

From the sidebar, click on Export, which shows options related to file sharing.

Click on the Create PDF/XPS Document button under the Export section.

Then click the Create PDF/XPS button that appears on the right side.

The Publish as PDF or XPS dialog box will open. There, click the Options button near the Optimise for button.

The Options window will open.

Under Publish what, select Active sheet(s) to make sure only your current worksheet is saved.

Click OK to return to the main dialog box, then choose a file name and save location.

Finally, click Publish to generate and save the worksheet as a PDF file.

Excel Mobile App

If you wish to transform one worksheet in an Excel workbook into a PDF file on a mobile phone, you can follow the steps outlined below:

Open the Excel workbook in the Android or iOS Excel app and access the worksheet that you wish to save as a PDF.

Click on the horizontal three-dot menu icon in the top right corner, above the More option.

The Export menu will open. Tap Export.

You should now see a dedicated Export dialog box. Tap on the PDF option.

The Layout Options screen will open. Tap on the Print active sheet option below the Settings section.

The Storage screen will now show up. Use that to select the primary destination for the PDF.

Let’s say you selected the Documents directory on the device. Tap Export in the top right corner of the Documents directory.

You should see the PDF exporting pop-up instantly.

That’s it! You’ve successfully saved one sheet as a PDF in the Excel mobile app.

Using the Print to PDF Option

The Print to PDF option in Microsoft Excel offers another practical way to save just one worksheet as a PDF.

This method uses the built-in Microsoft Print to PDF printer, which treats your sheet as if it were being printed, but saves it as a file instead. It’s a smart option when you want to preserve the layout exactly as it appears in the print preview.

What makes this approach convenient is that it works almost identically to print a hard copy, making it familiar and easy to use even for beginners.

You don’t need any extra software, and you have full control over page setup and print range. If you want a simple and visual method to save your current worksheet as a PDF, Print to PDF is a great choice.

Let me show you how you can use this method if any other methods mentioned so far don’t work for you:

Click the worksheet tab that you want to save so it becomes the active sheet.

Press Ctrl + P on your keyboard or go to the File tab and click Print.

Under the Printer drop-down, select Microsoft Print to PDF from the list of printers.

In the Settings section, make sure Print Active Sheets is selected so only your current sheet is included.

Review the print preview on the right side to make sure the sheet layout looks correct.

Click the Print button, which will open a Save Print Output As dialog box.

Choose a folder location, enter a file name, and click Save to finish exporting the sheet as a PDF.

Using Quick Access Toolbar

You can customize the Quick Access Toolbar in Microsoft Excel to include a Publish as PDF button. Then it becomes super easy to save one worksheet as a PDF with a click of a button in the QAT context menu.

What makes this option convenient is its speed and simplicity. It reduces multiple steps into one action. You still get the benefit of Excel’s built-in PDF export capabilities, but with a shortcut that saves time.

If you want to build an efficient workflow and avoid extra clicks, adding this to your Quick Access Toolbar is a must.

Follow along with the steps outlined below to practice this method in your own workbook:

Open Excel and click the small drop-down arrow at the top-left corner of the window, next to the Quick Access Toolbar.

From the drop-down list, select More Commands to open the Excel Options dialog box.

In the Choose commands from drop-down, select All Commands to display every available Excel feature.

Scroll down and find Publish as PDF or XPS, then click Add to move it to the right-side list.

Click OK to save your changes and return to the Excel window.

Now go to the worksheet you want to export, and make sure it’s the active sheet.

Click the new Publish as PDF or XPS icon in the Quick Access Toolbar at the top of the window.

In the Publish as PDF or XPS dialog, make sure Active sheet(s) is selected under Options.

To do this, click Options below the Optimise for section and choose Active sheet(s). Click OK to save the new configuration.

Choose a file name and location in the Publish as PDF or XPS dialog box, and click Publish to save the sheet as a PDF.

Using the Page Layout View

The Page Layout View in Microsoft Excel allows you to visually format your worksheet exactly how it’ll appear in a PDF document. T

his method is especially helpful if your sheet includes tables, charts, or content that must be perfectly positioned across pages.

The biggest benefit of this approach is that you can adjust margins, scaling, headers, and footers visually before exporting.

It’s perfect for you if you prefer a “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” workflow.

Now, let me walk you through the entire process so you can try it out yourself:

Click the worksheet tab that you want to save so it becomes the active sheet.

Go to the View tab on the Excel ribbon at the top of the screen.

Click Page Layout to switch to a layout that shows exactly how the sheet will print.

Use the Page Layout tab to adjust margins, orientation, scaling, and print area as needed.

Double-check how your content flows across pages using the visual layout displayed on the screen.

Once everything looks right, click the File tab to open the backstage view.

Select Save As, choose your folder, and select PDF (*.pdf) as the file type you’re about to save.

Click Options, choose Active sheet(s), and click OK to confirm.

Finally, click Save to export the properly formatted worksheet as a PDF.

Conclusions

So far, you have learned the five best methods to save one sheet in Microsoft Excel as a PDF. Which method attracted your attention the most? Comment below to let us know your choice.

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