PDF to text
Take the words out of a PDF as a plain text file you can paste anywhere. Paragraphs are kept together and two-column pages are read one column at a time.
How to use it
- Choose your PDF, or drag it onto the box.
- The text is taken out straight away.
- Download the text file.
What you get
A plain text file with the words from each page, in reading order, and a marker between pages. Headings, paragraphs and simple two-column layouts are handled. Tables come out with their columns separated by tabs, which paste neatly into a spreadsheet.
Scanned PDFs
If the PDF is made of scanned pages, it holds pictures of words rather than words, and there is nothing to take out. The page will tell you, and Make PDF searchable can read the words first.
Questions
Are my files uploaded?
No. The work happens inside your web browser, on your own device. Before your file is opened, this page locks itself: from then on your browser refuses to let it fetch, upload or send anything at all. You can check: once the page has loaded, switch off your internet connection and it will still work. How the lock works.