How to Export Any HTML Table to Excel in 2026

Need to get table data from a website into Excel? You're not alone. Whether you're analyzing competitor pricing, compiling research data, or just saving a list for later, exporting HTML tables to Excel is a common task. Here are 5 proven methods, from quickest to most powerful.

Method 1: Table to Excel Chrome Extension (Recommended)

The fastest and most reliable method is using a dedicated browser extension. Table Exporter is a free Chrome extension that automatically detects tables and lets you export them with one click.

Why This Method is Best:

• ✅ Works with HTML tables, CSS Grid, and modern layouts
• ✅ Preserves merged cells (colspan/rowspan)
• ✅ One-click export to Excel or CSV
• ✅ No data sent to servers (privacy-first)
• ✅ 100% free, no account required

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Install Table to Excel from the Chrome Web Store
2. Visit any webpage containing a table
3. Hover over the table — export buttons will appear
4. Click the export button (⤓) to download as Excel
5. Or click copy (📋) to paste directly into Excel

Method 2: Copy-Paste Method

The simplest method — just select the table, copy it, and paste into Excel. This works for basic tables but has limitations.

How to Do It:

1. Select the entire table on the webpage (click and drag)
2. Press Ctrl+C (or Cmd+C on Mac)
3. Open Excel and press Ctrl+V to paste

Limitations:

• ❌ Formatting often breaks
• ❌ Merged cells may not work correctly
• ❌ Hidden columns may be included
• ❌ Doesn't work with CSS Grid tables

Method 3: Excel's Web Query Feature

Excel has a built-in feature to import data from web pages. It's powerful but more complex to set up.

Steps:

1. Open Excel → Data tab → Get Data → From Web
2. Enter the URL of the page containing the table
3. Select which table to import
4. Click Load

Method 4: Google Sheets IMPORTHTML

Google Sheets can pull tables directly from URLs using a formula. Great for data that updates regularly.

Formula:

=IMPORTHTML("https://example.com/page", "table", 1)

Replace the URL and the number indicates which table on the page (1 = first table).

Method 5: Developer Tools + CSV

For technical users, you can extract table data using browser developer tools and JavaScript.

1. Right-click the page → Inspect
2. Find the table element in the Elements panel
3. Use JavaScript to extract and format the data
4. Save as CSV and open in Excel

Which Method Should You Use?

Method	Speed	CSS Grid Support	Merged Cells	Difficulty
Table to Excel	⚡ Fastest	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	Easy
Copy-Paste	Fast	❌ No	❌ No	Easy
Excel Web Query	Medium	❌ No	✅ Yes	Medium
IMPORTHTML	Medium	❌ No	❌ No	Easy
Developer Tools	Slow	✅ Yes	Manual	Hard

Conclusion

For most users, the Table to Excel Chrome extension is the best choice. It's free, works with modern web tables, preserves formatting, and takes just one click. No technical knowledge required.

If you frequently need to export tables from websites, do yourself a favor and install it now: