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How to Extract Data in Tableau Public

Cody Schneider••8 min read

Navigating the rich visualizations on Tableau Public can be inspiring, but often the real gold is hidden in the underlying data. Whether you want to perform your own analysis, verify a finding, or simply learn from the data structure, getting that data out isn't always obvious. This tutorial will walk you through the various methods to extract data from a Tableau Public visualization, from the easy one-click download to common workarounds when that option is unavailable.

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Understanding Data in Tableau: Extracts vs. Live Connections

Before we jump into the "how," it helps to understand what kind of data you're dealing with. In the Tableau ecosystem, data is typically handled in one of two ways: a live connection or a data extract.

  • Live Connection: This method queries the original data source (like a SQL database or a Google Sheet) in real time. Changes in the source data are reflected in the dashboard almost instantly. Live connections are great for operational dashboards that need up-to-the-minute information but require constant access to the database.
  • Tableau Data Extract (.hyper): An extract is a highly compressed snapshot of the data, stored as a .hyper file. It's packaged with the Tableau workbook. Because the data is stored locally within the file, dashboards built on extracts are often much faster and more performant. For a platform like Tableau Public, where authors can't grant a million viewers access to their private databases, extracts are the standard.

When you interact with a dashboard on Tableau Public, you're almost always interacting with a visualization built on a Tableau extract. Our goal is to access and download the data from that packaged extract.

Can You Always Download the Raw Data?

The short answer is no. The ability to download data directly from a Tableau Public visualization is entirely up to the author who published it. When a creator uploads their workbook, they have a choice:

  • Allow download: They can check a box that allows viewers to download the full workbook and its underlying data. This is common in a collaborative or educational context where sharing the data is part of the goal.
  • Disable download: For various reasons, including data privacy or wanting to keep their dataset proprietary, an author might disable this option.

Luckily, even when the author disables the most direct download methods, you often have a few clever ways to get to the information you need.

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The Easy Way: The Author Permitted Data Downloads

Let's start with the ideal scenario. If the author enabled downloads, you can get the data you need in just a few clicks. Here’s how to check and what to do.

Step-by-Step Guide to Downloading Data

  1. Navigate to the Tableau Public visualization you are interested in.
  2. Look at the toolbar at the bottom of the visualization. You should see a "Download" icon, usually shaped like a downward-pointing arrow next to a rectangle.
  3. Click the Download icon. A menu will appear with several options. The ones we care about are Data, Crosstab, and Tableau Workbook.

Let's break down what each of those options does.

Downloading as a Crosstab (.csv)

Selecting Crosstab downloads the data that is currently visible in a specific worksheet of the dashboard. Think of it as an "export what you see" option. If a bar chart shows aggregated sales per country, the crosstab will give you a CSV file with two columns: Country and Sum of Sales.

  • What it's good for: Quickly grabbing the summary data directly from a specific chart or table.
  • Limitation: It does not give you the raw, individual data rows. You only get the aggregated data presented in that specific view.

Downloading Full Underlying Data

If you're after the entire dataset that powers the whole dashboard, this is the option you want. Clicking "Data" in the download menu will open a new window showing the data source.

  1. After clicking "Data," you will see a "View Data" window pop up.
  2. This window typically has two tabs: Summary (showing the aggregated data for your current selection) and Show all columns. Click the tab to show all columns to see the full, unaggregated dataset.
  3. To download it, look for the link that says "Download all rows as a text file." Clicking this will download a convenient CSV file containing all the data used in the workbook.

This is the most complete way to get the data, giving you the detailed, row-level information needed for any new analysis.

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Workarounds for When Data Download is Disabled

What happens when you click on a dashboard and the "Data" and "Crosstab" options are grayed out or a download button is missing entirely? Don't worry, you still have other paths you can take. Most of these involve downloading the entire Tableau Workbook itself.

Method 1: Download the Packaged Workbook (.twbx)

Often, an author may disable direct data exporting but still allow viewers to download the workbook file (.twbx) itself. This file is a self-contained package that includes the dashboard, worksheets, and - most importantly - the .hyper data extract.

How to Extract Data from a .twbx file:

  1. From the Tableau Public visualization, click the "Download" icon and select Tableau Workbook. This will download a .twbx file to your computer.
  2. You will need to have the free Tableau Public application or Tableau Desktop installed on your computer to open this file. If you don't have it, you can download Tableau Public for free.
  3. Open the downloaded .twbx file with your Tableau application.
  4. Once the workbook is open, look at the bottom-left corner of the application for the Data Source tab and click it. This takes you to the screen showing the data connections.
  5. You will see a list of the data on the canvas. Your data is likely listed in blue text and shows an extract icon.
  6. From the main menu at the top of the application, go to Data -> [Your Data Source Name] -> Export Data to CSV.
  7. A save dialog will open, allowing you to export the entire dataset as a clean, usable CSV file. Bingo!

This method is highly effective because you are unpacking the data extract from the workbook file, bypassing the online download limitations.

Method 2: Manually Viewing and Copying Data

Even if all download options are restricted, Tableau visualizations are interactive by design. You can often still view the data behind specific marks or charts, although you can't click a download button.

How to Manually Copy Underlying Data:

  1. In the dashboard, click on a data point. This could be a bar on a chart, a dot on a map, a point on a line graph, or an entire section. You can often select multiple data points by holding Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and clicking, or by dragging a selection box around an area.
  2. Hover over your selection until the tooltip appears. In the tooltip controls, look for an icon that looks like a small grid with details. This is the View Data icon.
  3. Clicking this icon will open the familiar "View Data" window we saw before. The "Download all rows" link will likely be disabled here.
  4. No problem! In the "Summary" tab within this window, you can manually select all the data (click inside the data window and press Ctrl+A or Cmd+A), copy it (Ctrl+C or Cmd+C), and then paste it directly into Google Sheets or Excel.

This method is not ideal for massive datasets, as you might run into display limits in the pop-up window. However, for smaller-to-medium datasets, it's a fantastic and quick workaround.

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Final Tip: Just Ask the Author!

It sounds simple, but the data community is generally a collaborative and helpful place. Many creators on Tableau Public include a link to their social media (like LinkedIn or Twitter) or a personal website on their profile. If you can't access the data using the methods above, try reaching out to the author directly. Politely explain who you are, why you are interested in their data, and what you plan to do with it. Many will be happy to share their dataset if you just ask!

Final Thoughts

Extracting data from a Tableau Public visualization ranges from a straightforward download to a bit of creative detective work. It all depends on the permissions set by the original author, but if direct downloads are off, you can often still access the info by downloading the workbook file or manually copying data from the visualization itself.

We believe getting insights from your data shouldn't require workarounds or spending hours digging through different platforms. With Graphed , we connect directly to your marketing and sales sources like Google Analytics, Shopify, Facebook Ads, and Salesforce. Instead of hunting for download buttons, you can just ask in plain English, "Show me my sales by campaign for the last 30 days," and instantly get a live, shareable dashboard without ever having to think about exporting a single CSV.

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