PDF to Text

What this tool does

Extract the text layer from a PDF, from all pages, one page, or a range such as 1-3,5. Use it on a born-digital invoice when you want to paste the words into an editor. A scanned page with no text layer comes back empty, because this page does not run OCR.

How to use

1. Upload a PDF. Page count and file size appear after the file is read locally.
2. Choose all pages, one page, or a range such as 1-3,5.
3. Press Extract text. Copy the result or download a .txt file.
4. If a page is blank in the output, it likely has no text layer.

Examples

• A digital invoice

  Born-digital PDFs usually have a text layer. Extracting all pages gives a usable draft you can copy into a spreadsheet or editor.

• A photographed contract

  A scan stored as images often yields empty pages. This tool does not perform OCR. Use a dedicated OCR app if you need to read pictures of text.

How it works

PDF.js reads the text content stored in each page. That is not optical character recognition. Line breaks are reconstructed from glyph positions, which is readable for most born-digital files and imperfect for tightly designed layouts.

Limitations

The extractor reads a stored text layer. It does not run OCR, so a scanned page can come back blank. Files over 20 MB, or documents over 80 pages, are refused. A password-protected PDF does not open. Line breaks are rebuilt from glyph positions, so a tight layout can come out uneven.

See the disclaimer for what these tools do not cover.

FAQ

Is the PDF to Text tool free?

Yes. Extracting a text layer from a PDF is free, and you do not need an account.

Does this upload my PDF?

No. The text layer is read in this tab. The file is not posted to a server.

Why is the output empty?

The page may be an image with no text layer, or the file may be encrypted. This converter does not include OCR.

How do I copy text from a PDF?

Open the PDF here to extract its text layer, then copy or download the text. The file stays on your device.

Why does a scanned PDF give no text?

A scanned page is a picture of text with no text layer to read. It needs OCR (optical character recognition), which this tool does not run.

Does it work on mobile?

Yes. You can open this page on a phone or tablet. File pickers and downloads use the browser on your device. Large files may be slower on a small phone than on a desktop.

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