Does it work on scanned PDFs?
Not reliably. Scans are images, not text, so OCR is the better option for them.
Extract text
Pull text out of a PDF and export it as .txt.
This works best with text-based PDFs. If the file is a scan, use OCR instead.
This file never leaves your device
Processing happens entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, nothing is stored, nothing is sent to us. Close the tab and it's gone.
Check for yourself — open DevTools, go to the Network tab, and run the tool. You'll see no upload.
Action panel
This tool is free and unlimited. It works best on native text-based PDFs and not on scans.
What this tool does
Reads text from a PDF and presents it as a plain-text download plus an on-screen preview, making the content easy to copy, search, and reuse.
When to use Extract Text
- • Text-based PDFs. If the file is already digital and text-based, extraction is quick and accurate.
- • Copying key sections. Pulling out a paragraph, a clause, or a table of contents without retyping it.
- • Quick review. Checking the final wording before sending a file to a client or colleague.
Why it is useful
- • It turns a PDF into searchable text you can reuse elsewhere.
- • It helps with review and quick reference without opening a heavy PDF viewer.
- • It is easier to copy and paste from a plain text export than from a full document viewer.
How to use Extract Text
- 1. Upload a PDF file.
- 2. Let the page text be extracted in the browser.
- 3. Review the text panel or download the .txt file.
- 4. Use the extracted text in a note, spreadsheet, or email.
Privacy and safety note
This tool only works well on text-based PDFs, not scans. It reads the document structure in the browser and returns text without uploading the file anywhere. If your PDF is a scan, use OCR instead.
Frequently asked questions
Will all formatting be preserved?
Plain text export keeps the text itself, not the visual layout. It is meant for readability and reuse, not for preserving page styling.
Can I export the text as a file?
Yes. The tool provides a .txt download in addition to the preview panel.
Is anything uploaded?
No. The extraction runs locally in the browser.