Paste to columns: rebuild a table copied from a photo
Copied a table out of a photo with Live Text and it pasted into one column? Paste it here, tell the page how it's laid out, and copy it back as real rows and columns.
Paste text to see the table.
Runs in your browser — the text isn't sent anywhere.
How to use it
- In Photos, press and hold on the table's text, select it and tap Copy.
- Paste it into the box above.
- Choose the layout — one cell per line (set the number of columns), or one row per line.
- Check the preview, tap Copy as rows, then select a cell in your sheet and paste.
Why this happens, and how to paste into Numbers without everything landing in one cell: Live Text table pastes into one column.
For tables on paper
These tools fix text and files. To turn a photo of a printed table into a spreadsheet in one step — rows, columns and empty cells in place, unsure cells highlighted — use QuickScan on your iPhone. It reads the photo on the device, too.
On a computer? Point your iPhone's camera at the code to open QuickScan in the App Store.
3 free exports, then a one-time unlock. No subscription.
Questions
Is the text sent anywhere?
No. The splitting happens in this page, in your browser.
Which layout should I pick?
Look at what you pasted: if each value is on its own line, choose 'One cell per line' and set the number of columns. If each row is one line with gaps between values, choose 'One row per line'.
Why is a row shifted?
Live Text skips empty cells, so the values after a gap move left. Fix that row in the sheet, or scan the table with an app that keeps empty cells in place.