Extract text from a PDF
Extract text from a PDF to copy it or download a text file. Choose selected pages and enable OCR for scanned content. Free to use, with no sign-up required.
Files processed on your device01 How it works
- Add PDFs or images.
- Choose line breaks and OCR language.
- Copy the text or download it.
02 Good to know
Text-based PDFs are read directly. Scanned pages and photos are read with on-device OCR in 25 languages.
03Extract PDF text with the page layout you need
Add a PDF and choose the pages to extract. Keep line breaks to follow the page layout, or join lines into paragraphs. You can also add page markers to show where each page starts.
Copy the extracted text or download it as a plain text file. Text extraction runs in your browser; OCR language data may be downloaded when needed.
04Use OCR for scanned pages
A PDF made from selectable text can usually be read directly. Scans contain page images instead of text, so enable OCR to recognize the words on those pages. Choose the document language for recognition.
OCR results can contain mistakes, especially in faint scans, handwriting, unusual fonts, tables, and multi-column pages. Check names, numbers, and other important details against the original.
05Text extraction does not preserve document design
Plain text keeps words and a choice of line breaks, not the original fonts, images, colors, or exact page layout. Tables and columns may not read in the order you expect.
If OCR returns little or no text, verify the selected pages and language, then inspect the scan quality. For a searchable PDF that keeps the page appearance, use OCR PDF.
06 Questions
Can I extract text from a scanned PDF?
Yes. Turn on OCR and choose the document language. OCR recognizes text from page images, and the result should be checked for errors.
Can I extract only certain pages?
Yes. Enter the page numbers or ranges you want to process.
Will the text file keep the PDF formatting?
No. It can keep line breaks or join them into paragraphs, but it does not preserve fonts, images, colors, or exact page layout.
Can I see where each page starts in the text?
Yes. Turn on page markers to mark page boundaries in the extracted text.