PDF to Text
Copy the text out of a PDF, page by page, and save it as a .txt file. Keep the columns in place if you like. Runs in your browser; your PDF is never uploaded.
Your files stay in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
Shortcuts: Ctrl+Enter run · Ctrl+Shift+C copy result · / search (use ⌘ on Mac)
Next steps
Done here? Use the Send to… menu on the result to carry it on to Image to Text (OCR) or PDF to Word.
Free Online PDF to Text
Take the words out of a PDF and save them as a plain text file. Choose the pages, keep or drop the layout, and copy or download. Your PDF never leaves your device. Get the words out of a PDF, page by page, to copy or save as a .txt file. You can keep the columns in place or read it as plain flowing text.
How to get the text from a PDF
Drop your PDF in the box, choose the pages if you do not need all of them, and press Get text. Copy the text or download it as a .txt file.
Scanned PDFs
If the PDF came from a scanner or a phone camera it holds pictures, not words. This tool will tell you so. Turn the pages into pictures with PDF to JPG and read them with Image to Text (OCR).
Common mistakes
- Opening a scanned PDF and expecting text: it needs OCR first.
- Reading a PDF with a password: remove the password first, the tool cannot open it.