Key takeaways
- PDF to Text saves every page's text into a single .txt file.
- Digital PDFs are extracted directly; scanned pages are recognized with OCR.
- Plain text is ideal for pasting, searching, translation tools and data entry.
- Use PDF to Word when you need headings and paragraphs to stay editable.
Sometimes you don't need the PDF — you need what it says. Maybe you want to paste a contract clause into an email, feed a report into a translation tool or search hundreds of pages for a number. Extracting the text is the fastest route.
How to extract text from a PDF
- Open PDF to Text.
- Add your PDF.
- If it contains scanned pages, keep Use OCR for scanned pages on and choose the language.
- Download the .txt file.
The file opens in any text editor, on any device.
Digital vs scanned PDFs
- Digital PDF: text is extracted directly — perfectly and instantly.
- Scanned PDF: pages are images, so OCR recognizes the words first. Quality depends on the scan.
Not sure which you have? Try selecting a word in your PDF viewer. If you can't, it's scanned.
When to choose a different tool
| You need | Use |
|---|---|
| Plain text to paste or process | PDF to Text |
| An editable document with paragraphs | PDF to Word |
| A searchable PDF that looks the same | OCR PDF |
| Text from a photo or screenshot | Scan to PDF › Copy text |
Common uses
- Copying clauses from contracts and policies
- Feeding text into translation or accessibility tools
- Pulling numbers from reports into a spreadsheet
- Creating a quick text archive of documents
Restricted PDFs
Some PDFs block copying. If you own the document or have permission, and it's protected with a password you know, remove the restriction with Unlock PDF first. See remove a password from a PDF.
Private and offline
Text extraction and OCR run entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and it keeps working without internet once loaded.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I copy text from my PDF?
Either it's a scanned image (needs OCR) or the author restricted copying. For scanned PDFs, PDF to Text with OCR solves it.
Does the text keep its layout?
Lines and paragraphs are kept in reading order, but fonts, columns and tables become plain text.
Can I extract text from only some pages?
Extract the pages first with Extract pages, then convert that smaller PDF.
Is there a page limit?
No fixed limit, but OCR on very long scanned documents takes longer.