PDF to Text
Pull the text out of a PDF, ready to copy or save.
Drop a PDF here
or pick one from your device
Choose PDFPDF files only. Up to 100 MB.
PDF
How to get the text out of a PDF
- Choose a PDF.
- Leave Pages empty for all pages, or type a range like 1-3, 5.
- Press Extract text, then copy it or download it as a .txt file.
Tips
- Works on PDFs made from Word, Google Docs or a website, where the text can be selected.
- Leave Pages empty to read everything, or type a range like 1-3, 5 to get only what you need.
- If a PDF is longer than 200 pages, read it one range at a time.
- Paste the text into Word or Google Docs to edit it, then save it again as a PDF.
Read the full guide: How to extract text from a PDF
Good to know
The text comes from the PDF itself, so nothing is guessed. Pictures are not included, and the layout of columns or tables can come out as plain lines.
- Limits: up to 200 pages per run, and 100 MB per file.
- A scanned PDF is only a picture of the page, so it has no text to read. You would need a scan-to-text (OCR) tool for that.
Common questions
Why is the result empty?
The PDF is probably a scan or a photo of a page. It has no real text inside, so there is nothing to extract.
Why won't my PDF open?
A PDF locked with a password can't be read. Remove the password first.
Is my file uploaded?
No. The file is processed in your browser on your device and is not sent to a server.
Will the layout stay the same?
No. You get the text in reading order, but columns, tables and fonts are not kept.
Can I get the text from only some pages?
Yes. Type a range like 1-3, 5 in the Pages box before you press Extract text.