PDF to Text
Pull the text out of a PDF so you can copy, search or edit it.
Drop your file here
PDF · up to 10.0 MB each, 10 at a time (Lifetime: 100 MB, 100 files)
Your files never leave your device. Everything happens in this browser tab.
Copying from a PDF often breaks lines and mixes columns. This extracts the text layer page by page into plain text you can copy or download as a .txt file.
It works on PDFs that contain real text, like exported documents and e-statements. Scanned PDFs are pictures of text: convert the pages with PDF to image and use Image to text (OCR) instead.
How to use the PDF to text tool
Add a PDF
Drop it in or choose it.
Extract
The text appears below, separated by page.
Copy or download
Copy everything in one click, or save a .txt file.
Tips
- Multi-column layouts are read left to right, line by line.
- Tables become plain lines of text.
- No text found? It's probably a scan: use OCR.
Frequently asked questions
Why is no text found?
The PDF is likely a scan or photo, with no text layer. Use PDF to image, then Image to text (OCR).
Is formatting kept?
No. It's plain text: line breaks are kept where possible, but fonts, bold and layout are not.
Does it work with Arabic, Chinese or Yoruba?
Yes, if the PDF stores the text properly. The extracted text is Unicode.
Are my PDFs uploaded?
No. Your PDF is opened and processed by your browser on your own device. It's never sent to Scanlexa, which makes this safe for contracts, statements and IDs.
Related tools
Share it with a QR code
Put your file online (Google Drive, Dropbox or your website), then make a QR code for the link. People can scan it from a poster, menu or business card.