Convert PDF to text
Read the text stored in a PDF, copy it or download it as a TXT file. Everything runs in your browser and the PDF is never uploaded.
Drag a PDF file hereChoose PDF file
One PDF file up to 100 MB. The file stays on your device.
Processed on your device, no upload
Guide and details
How it works
- Choose a PDF or drop it onto the area above.
- Choose all pages or enter pages, for example 1-3, 5.
- Choose “Extract text” and check the preview.
- Copy the text or choose “Download TXT”. The file is UTF-8 encoded.
What this tool does and does not do
The tool reads text that is stored in the PDF as text, for example from word processors, web page printouts or reports. It is not OCR (text recognition). A scanned PDF consists of pictures of pages and usually contains no text. In that case the tool states plainly that no text was found instead of reporting an empty file as a success. If only some pages contain text, the others stay empty and a note says so.
Some PDFs store characters without a valid Unicode mapping. The text cannot be read reliably then, and the result can consist of replacement characters. The tool warns when this dominates on pages.
Order, Unicode and limits
Lines and paragraphs are rebuilt from the positions of the text pieces on the page. For single column documents this usually matches the reading order. With multi column layouts, tables, footnotes, headers and footers or rotated text the order can differ from yours. Check important text in the preview. Pages are separated by an empty line, optionally with a page marker.
The text is taken over as Unicode and normalized, and the file is UTF-8. Hyphenation at line ends is kept. The PDF may be up to 100 MB, on smartphones and devices with little memory 50 MB, with at most 2,000 pages. Password protected or usage restricted PDFs are rejected. The preview shows the first 100,000 characters, the file and the copy function contain everything.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the tool say there is no text?
The PDF probably consists of scanned images. This tool only reads existing text and does not recognise text in images. That would need OCR.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. PDF.js reads the file locally in your browser. Neither the PDF nor the text is sent to AnyConvertor or third parties.
Why is the order wrong with columns?
A PDF stores text pieces with positions but no reading direction. The tool rebuilds lines from the positions. With columns, tables or footnotes this can differ from the reading order you want.
Can I read only certain pages?
Yes. Choose “Selected pages” and enter for example 1-3, 5. Pages appear in the order you type them.
What do “replacement characters” in the note mean?
The PDF has no information there about which Unicode character belongs to a glyph, so the text cannot be read correctly. A different export method in the original program often helps.