PDF to text
Pull clean, copyable text out of a PDF — as plain text, Markdown, or OCR for scans.
Drop a PDF here
or use the button — one PDF at a time
PDF to text extracts the words from a document so you can copy, edit or search them. It reads the real text layer for exact results, reconstructs reading order line by line, and can output plain text or light Markdown. If the PDF is a scan with no text layer, switch on OCR and the on-device engine reads the words from the image.
How it works
- Choose the PDF.
- Pick plain text or Markdown, and a page range if you like.
- For a scanned PDF, turn on OCR.
- Click Extract, then copy or download the text.
Example uses
- Copying a quote out of a report without retyping it.
- Turning a PDF into Markdown to reuse in your notes.
- Reading text out of a scanned page with OCR.
Frequently asked questions
Why is some text missing or jumbled?
Text comes from the PDF’s own text layer and is re-ordered by position. Complex multi-column layouts can still surprise it. For scans with no text layer, use OCR.
What does OCR do?
OCR reads the letters out of a page image using an on-device engine. It is slower and not perfect, but it recovers text from scans and photos. Everything stays in your browser.
Is Markdown accurate?
Markdown is a best-effort: clearly larger lines become headings and bullets are kept. It is a helpful starting point, not a pixel-perfect conversion.
Your files stay on your device
This tool runs entirely in your browser. After the page has loaded, nothing about your document is sent to a server — no upload, no account, no watermark.
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By selecting files, you confirm you may process them and accept the Terms of Use.