Extract text from a PDF
Extract the text of a PDF in reading order and download it as a .txt file or copy it.
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Copying text straight out of a PDF viewer often scrambles columns and breaks every line. This tool reads the position of every piece of text on each page with pdf.js, rebuilds the lines top to bottom and left to right, and joins them into paragraphs with a blank line between them, ready to paste into an email, a translation tool or a notes app.
Choose all pages or a range, and whether to mark where each page starts. The result is shown for copying and saved as UTF-8 .txt, so accented letters, Arabic and other scripts come through intact.
A scanned PDF is a picture of text and contains no text to extract; run OCR PDF on it first.
How to use it
- Choose a PDF.
- Pick all pages or type a range, and whether to mark page breaks.
- Click Extract text.
- Copy the text or download the .txt file.
Frequently asked questions
Are my files uploaded?
No. The file is read and processed by your browser on your device; nothing is sent to a server. You can load the page, switch off Wi-Fi and it still works.
Why is no text found?
The PDF is probably a scan or made of images. Run OCR PDF on it to add a text layer, then extract.
Are multi-column layouts kept apart?
Lines are rebuilt by position, which keeps single-column documents in order. In two-column layouts, lines at the same height may be joined; check the result.
What about Arabic or other scripts?
Text is saved as UTF-8 exactly as the PDF stores it. Some PDFs made with unusual fonts store text without a proper character map, which no extractor can read correctly.
Is formatting kept?
No, this is plain text. For headings and paragraphs in an editable document, use PDF to Word.
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