DocTable
Excel "Data from Picture" not working? Causes and another way
Updated October 2026
Excel's Data from Picture usually fails for a reason Microsoft documents: connected experiences are turned off (which greys the command out), Windows or the WebView2 runtime is too old, the document's language is not on Microsoft's supported list, or the picture is angled, uncropped or poorly lit. Microsoft publishes no cause for an import that stalls part-way, such as at 20%. Another way is an AI OCR tool such as DocTable, which reads photos, screenshots and scanned PDFs into an Excel file. Your first 3 pages are free — scan and download, no card needed. After that, $3 buys 20 pages (one-time, no subscription). Try your first page without an account — sign in only to download it.
| Date | Description | Qty | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03/10/2026 | Printer paper, A4 | 5 | 42.50 |
| 03/10/2026 | Toner cartridge | 1 | 68.00 |
| 04/10/2026 | Courier | 1 | 12.00 |
How DocTable does it
- Upload a PDF (up to 500 pages, up to 60 MB) or a photo — JPG, PNG, WEBP or GIF. Up to 100 files at once.
- The page is read as an image, so scans and phone photos with no text layer work. No templates and no setup.
- Check the extracted rows in the preview; rows whose numbers do not add up are flagged.
- Download Excel (.xlsx), Word (.docx), CSV, JSON or text.
Causes Microsoft documents
Everything in this section comes from Microsoft's own pages, linked next to each point. Where Microsoft says nothing, this page says so instead of guessing.
- Connected experiences are off. Microsoft lists "Insert data from picture" among the connected experiences that analyze your content. When those are turned off, Microsoft says the ribbon or menu command is greyed out or you get an error message. On a work or school account, your organisation's admin decides whether they are available.
- Windows or a runtime is too old. On Windows, Microsoft's Insert data from picture page says the feature is only supported on Windows 11 or Windows 10 version 1903 or later, with the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime installed.
- The language is not supported. The same page lists the only character sets supported: English and a set of European languages, from Bosnian to Turkish. Arabic, Persian, Japanese, Chinese and Korean are not on the list.
- The picture is hard to read. Microsoft asks for an image that shows only the data you want (crop it if needed), taken head-on rather than at an angle, and as well-lit as possible.
- The wrong Excel. Microsoft's page applies to Excel for Microsoft 365, with steps for Windows, the web, Mac and the mobile app.
What Microsoft does not document
Microsoft's support page does not mention the import stopping at a percentage such as 20%, the command not appearing at all, PDFs, or handwriting. If the checks above all pass and it still stalls, there is no published fix to follow — a different tool is the practical next step.
Another way: AI OCR into an Excel file
DocTable reads the page as an image, finds the rows and columns, and gives you an Excel (.xlsx), CSV or Word file. It differs from Data from Picture in four ways that matter when the built-in tool fails:
- PDFs as well as pictures — scanned PDFs up to 500 pages, plus JPG, PNG, WEBP and GIF; up to 100 files per upload.
- More scripts — Latin scripts, Arabic, Persian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Devanagari and mixed-script pages, in one pipeline.
- Arithmetic check — DocTable checks the arithmetic of the table it extracted — running balances, quantity × unit price, line items against the subtotal, subtotal + tax = total — and flags rows that do not add up in the preview and in the Excel file.
- Any browser — iPhone, Android, Mac or Windows, no app to install and no Excel version requirement.
It is not offline: DocTable holds an upload in memory, sends it over TLS to a third-party AI model provider for extraction, does not keep the original after processing and never uses it to train models; the downloaded spreadsheet is deleted on a timer measured in minutes (details on the security page). A Data Processing Agreement is available on request (business). DocTable has no offline or on-device mode.
When Data from Picture is the better choice
If your Excel already has Data from Picture working and you have one clear, head-on photo of a small table in a supported language, it is built in, already paid for in your Microsoft 365 plan, and puts the data straight into the open workbook. Fix the cause above rather than switching tools. DocTable earns its place with PDFs, many pages or files, Arabic or Asian scripts, or when the built-in import keeps stalling.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Excel Data from Picture greyed out?
Microsoft's documented reason is connected experiences: when the ones that analyse your content are turned off, the command is greyed out or shows an error (Microsoft). On a work or school account, your admin decides whether they are available.
Why is Excel Data from Picture stuck at 20%?
Microsoft publishes no cause for this; its support page only says the dialog shows Excel's progress analysing the image. Retry with a cropped, head-on, well-lit picture, or use another tool such as DocTable.
Why is Data from Picture not showing in Excel?
Microsoft documents requirements rather than a fix: Excel for Microsoft 365, and on Windows, Windows 11 or Windows 10 version 1903 or later with the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime (Microsoft). Beyond that, Microsoft publishes no cause for the command being missing.
Is Excel Data from Picture available in Excel online?
Yes. Microsoft's support page gives steps for Excel for the web: Data, then Data From Picture, then choose the picture file.
Does Excel Data from Picture work with PDFs or Arabic text?
Microsoft's page mentions picture files and screenshots, not PDFs, and its supported languages are English and European languages only. DocTable reads scanned PDFs up to 500 pages and Arabic, Persian, Japanese, Chinese and Korean.
What can I use instead of Excel Data from Picture?
An AI OCR tool such as DocTable turns a photo, screenshot or scanned PDF into an Excel file in the browser, with no Excel version requirement. Your first 3 pages are free — scan and download, no card needed. After that, $3 buys 20 pages (one-time, no subscription).
Related pages
Temporary processing — files are not archived. Always verify OCR output before financial or legal use. Third-party product details were checked on each vendor's own pages in October 2026 and can change; follow the links for current terms.