PDF to Text pulls the plain text out of a PDF document. It's useful when you want to quote a passage, paste content into an email or a CMS, feed text into another tool, or simply search a long document without fighting the PDF layout.
The text is extracted page by page and keeps its line breaks, and a blank line separates the pages. You can edit the result in the box, copy it to your clipboard in one click, or save it as a UTF-8 .txt file.
How to use the PDF to Text tool
- Select a PDF file. Extraction starts automatically.
- Check the text in the box and edit it if you need to.
- Click Copy text to copy it, or Download .txt to save it.
- For scanned PDFs, use Image to Text (OCR) instead.
Features
- Instant extraction with no waiting for an upload.
- Keeps line breaks and page separation.
- Works with any language stored as text in the PDF.
- Copy or download as UTF-8 text.
- Private and free.
Tips for best results
If the box stays empty, the PDF contains pictures of text rather than real text, which is typical for scans. Convert the pages to images with PDF to JPG, then run them through Image to Text (OCR). To get a formatted, editable document instead of plain text, use PDF to Word.
Compatibility and limits
The PDF to Text tool works in current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Opera and Samsung Internet, on desktop and mobile. Processing speed depends on your device: a typical document finishes in a few seconds, while files with hundreds of pages or very large scanned images may take longer on older phones. Encrypted (password-protected) PDFs must be unlocked before they can be processed. Your original file is never changed, because the result is always saved as a new download.
Privacy: your files never leave your device
Your PDF is opened and processed by JavaScript running in your own browser, using open-source libraries we host ourselves. The document is never uploaded to our server or anyone else's. Once the page has loaded, the tool even works without an internet connection. Close the tab and the file is gone from memory.
Frequently asked questions
Why is no text extracted from my PDF?
The PDF is probably a scan, containing images of pages. Use Image to Text (OCR) to recognise the text in those images.
Does it keep formatting?
It keeps line breaks and page breaks but not fonts or layout. For an editable formatted document, use PDF to Word.
Can I extract text from a password-protected PDF?
Not until it has been unlocked with its password.
Is the text extraction private?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser.
Which languages are supported?
Any language stored as Unicode text in the PDF, including Urdu, Arabic, Hindi and Chinese.