PDF to Text
Extract plain text from PDF
Drop your PDF file here
or click to browse
Browser Processing
Files processed locally in your browser
Auto Delete
Files automatically deleted after processing
No Sign-Up
Use all tools without creating an account
Works Everywhere
Any device, any browser, no installation
How to Extract Text from PDF
- 1
Select or drag your PDF file into the upload area.
- 2
Click extract to pull all text content from the PDF.
- 3
Download your extracted text file.
Why Extract Text from PDFs?
Plain text is the most universal format. Extracting text from PDFs gives you raw content that can be processed, analyzed, edited, or imported into any application.
Common Uses
- Data Processing: Feed text to analysis tools or scripts.
- Translation: Get text for translation services.
- Accessibility: Create screen reader-friendly content.
- Search Indexing: Extract text for document search systems.
Text vs Word Conversion
PDF to Text: Pure text, no formatting, smallest output. PDF to Word: Preserves formatting, tables, and images. Choose text when you only need the words; choose Word when you need to maintain document structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does PDF to text extraction work?
Our tool reads embedded text in your PDF and extracts it into plain text format. Works for PDFs with selectable text.
What if my PDF contains scanned images?
For scanned PDFs, use our OCR PDF tool which uses optical character recognition to extract text from images.
Is extracting text from PDFs free?
Yes, completely free with no registration, file limits, or hidden costs.
Will the text formatting be preserved?
Plain text preserves words and basic paragraphs but removes formatting like fonts and colors. For formatted output, try PDF to Word.
Can I extract text from password-protected PDFs?
Use our Unlock PDF tool first to remove copy restrictions, then extract text. PDFs requiring an open password must be unlocked first.
What's the difference from PDF to Word?
PDF to Text gives plain, unformatted text. PDF to Word preserves formatting, tables, and images in an editable document.
Can I extract text from specific pages?
Currently all pages are extracted. To extract specific pages, first use Split PDF to get those pages, then extract text.
How is text order determined?
Text is extracted in reading order (top-to-bottom, left-to-right). Multi-column layouts may extract differently than visual order.
What can I do with extracted text?
Use it for data analysis, content migration, translation, accessibility, or any purpose requiring raw text content.
Are special characters preserved?
Yes, Unicode characters including symbols, accents, and non-Latin scripts are preserved if they exist as text in the PDF.