PDF to text
Extract all text content from a PDF as a plain .txt file.
The PDF to text tool reads through every page of a PDF and extracts its actual text content in reading order, saving the result as a plain .txt file — useful for pulling text out of a PDF to search, edit, or paste elsewhere, entirely in the browser.
Click to choose a PDF, or drag one in here
One file at a time
How to use
- Upload a PDF file.
- Click "Extract text & download" to save the extracted text as a .txt file.
Common use scenarios
- Pulling the text out of a PDF report or article to edit or quote elsewhere.
- Getting a searchable plain-text version of a PDF document.
- Extracting text from a PDF for further processing in another tool.
- Checking whether a PDF has an actual text layer or is just a scanned image.
✓Content & verification reviewed: 2026-08-25
How we verify PDF to text
How to confirm the extracted text matches what you expect.
Only extracts real, embedded text — not text in scanned images
This reads the PDF's actual text layer; if a document is a scanned image with no underlying text (common for old scans or faxed documents), there's nothing to extract and you'll see a warning instead — this tool doesn't perform OCR.
Text comes out in reading order, not original layout
Columns, tables, and other layout structures aren't preserved — text is extracted in the order the PDF's internal structure defines, which can occasionally differ from the visual reading order for complex layouts.
Pages are separated by a blank line in the output
Each page's extracted text is joined with a blank line between it and the next page's text, making it easier to tell where one page ends and the next begins in the downloaded file.
Before you rely on the result
- You've checked for the "no extractable text" warning if your PDF might be a scanned document.
- You understand column/table layouts won't be preserved in the plain text output.
- You've reviewed the extracted text for reading-order issues on complex-layout documents.
- You've saved the downloaded .txt file before navigating away, since nothing is stored on this page.
Who this is for
- Anyone pulling text out of a PDF report or article to edit or quote elsewhere.
- People wanting a searchable plain-text version of a PDF document.
- Developers or analysts extracting PDF text for further processing.
- Anyone checking whether a PDF has a real text layer or is just a scanned image.
Real-world examples
Quoting from a PDF report
Someone extracts the text of a PDF report so they can quote specific passages in another document without retyping them.
Making a PDF searchable in plain text form
A person extracts all text from a lengthy PDF so they can search it more easily in a plain text editor.
Checking for a text layer before OCR
Someone extracts text from a scanned-looking PDF to confirm whether it actually has an embedded text layer before deciding whether OCR is needed.
Limitations
- Only extracts real text content — a scanned document without an underlying text layer won't produce any text (this tool doesn't perform OCR).
- Original formatting like columns, tables, and page layout isn't preserved — text is extracted in reading order only.
Frequently asked questions
Why did I get a warning that no text was found?
That means the PDF likely has no embedded text layer — often the case for scanned documents saved as images. This tool extracts existing text; it doesn't perform OCR to recognize text in an image.
Will tables and columns come out formatted correctly?
No — the tool extracts text in the PDF's internal reading order, which doesn't preserve visual layout like columns or table structure.
How can I tell where one page ends and the next begins?
Each page's text is separated from the next by a blank line in the downloaded .txt file.
Does this upload my PDF anywhere?
No — text extraction runs entirely in your browser using pdf.js; the file is never sent to a server.
🔒 Runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded. Results are for reference only; see the disclaimer. Last updated: 2026-08-25
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