PDF to Text Converter
Extract all the text of a PDF into a plain .txt file you can search, edit or paste anywhere. Two-column pages are read column by column, tables become rows with tabs between cells, words split across lines are rejoined, and scanned pages are read with text recognition (OCR). The PDF never leaves your device.
How to use PDF to Text Converter
- Select the PDF you want to extract text from.
- Choose how page breaks should appear in the text.
- Click "Convert to text" to download the .txt file, or copy the text from the box that appears.
Frequently asked questions
Does it keep the reading order?
Yes. The text comes out in the order you would read it: two-column articles column by column, and the page footer after the body. The lines of a paragraph are joined into one, with a blank line between paragraphs.
What happens to tables?
Each table row becomes one line with a tab between cells, so the columns line up again when you paste them into a spreadsheet.
Can it read scanned PDFs?
Yes. Pages without selectable text are run through text recognition (OCR) in your browser, in the language of this site plus English. OCR is slower, and the result depends on the scan quality.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The PDF is read in your browser, so the file never leaves your device.