What is the PDF to Text tool?

PDF to Text is an in-browser extractor that reads the selectable text from a PDF and returns it as plain text or per-page Markdown, ready to copy or download.

How do I extract text from a PDF with PDF to Text?

Drop a PDF into the PDF to Text tool and it extracts the selectable text instantly. Pick Text or Markdown mode, then copy or download the result.

What is the difference between Text and Markdown mode?

Text mode gives plain output with a divider between pages, while Markdown mode adds a Page N heading before each page so the structure is preserved.

Can PDF to Text read scanned or image-only PDFs?

Not yet. Scanned PDFs contain no selectable text, so OCR is required; that capability is on the roadmap.

Does PDF to Text keep the original layout?

It reconstructs lines on a best-effort basis. Simple documents come through cleanly, but complex multi-column layouts may not be fully preserved.

Is my PDF uploaded anywhere when I use PDF to Text?

No. The PDF is processed locally in your browser and nothing is uploaded to a server, so your data never leaves your device.

PDF to Text

Extract selectable text from a PDF as plain text or Markdown.

Your PDF is parsed locally in your browser to extract its text, and nothing is uploaded to a server.

Need to spot changes between two PDFs? Try Compare PDFs.

About PDF to Text

This pdf to text tool extracts selectable text from any PDF and hands it back as clean plain text or per-page Markdown. Drop in a contract, report, or research paper and instantly pull readable content out without copy-pasting page by page. It is built for developers, technical writers, QA engineers, and analysts who need to extract text from PDF documents for search, diffing, indexing, or feeding into other pipelines. Choose Text mode for a simple .txt export with page separators, or Markdown mode to get a heading for every page so structure stays clear. Everything runs locally in your browser using an in-page PDF engine, so even large or confidential files are processed locally and your data never leaves your device. Use it to convert pdf to text, pull quotes, or prep content for review in seconds.

Features

Extracts selectable text from PDFs entirely in the browser
Plain Text mode with clear per-page separators
Markdown mode that adds a heading for every page
Reconstructs lines on a best-effort basis to preserve reading order
One-click copy of the full extracted output
Download results as a .txt or .md file
Shows page count and file size for the loaded PDF
Warns clearly when a PDF is scanned and has no selectable text

How to use the PDF to Text

Drop a PDF onto the upload area or click to choose a file.
Wait a moment while the text is extracted in your browser.
Switch between Text and Markdown using the mode toggle.
Copy the extracted output or download it as a .txt or .md file.
Click Remove to clear the file and load a different PDF.

Example

Input

invoice.pdf (2 pages)

Output

Invoice #1042
Billed to: Acme Corp
Total: $1,250.00

──────────

Thank you for your business.

Two-page PDF extracted in Text mode, with a separator between pages.

Common errors & troubleshooting

The extracted text comes back empty. — The PDF is likely scanned or image-only and has no selectable text. OCR is needed and is on the roadmap; try a PDF that was generated from text.
Columns or tables come out jumbled. — Lines are reconstructed on a best-effort basis, so complex multi-column or tabular layouts may not be preserved in reading order.
Special characters or ligatures look odd. — Some PDFs embed non-standard glyph mappings; the extracted characters depend on the font encoding inside the file and may differ from the visual text.
A large PDF takes a while to process. — Extraction happens locally in your browser, so very large documents need a moment; wait for the spinner to finish before copying.

Frequently asked questions

What is the PDF to Text tool?: PDF to Text is an in-browser extractor that reads the selectable text from a PDF and returns it as plain text or per-page Markdown, ready to copy or download.
How do I extract text from a PDF with PDF to Text?: Drop a PDF into the PDF to Text tool and it extracts the selectable text instantly. Pick Text or Markdown mode, then copy or download the result.
What is the difference between Text and Markdown mode?: Text mode gives plain output with a divider between pages, while Markdown mode adds a Page N heading before each page so the structure is preserved.
Can PDF to Text read scanned or image-only PDFs?: Not yet. Scanned PDFs contain no selectable text, so OCR is required; that capability is on the roadmap.
Does PDF to Text keep the original layout?: It reconstructs lines on a best-effort basis. Simple documents come through cleanly, but complex multi-column layouts may not be fully preserved.
Is my PDF uploaded anywhere when I use PDF to Text?: No. The PDF is processed locally in your browser and nothing is uploaded to a server, so your data never leaves your device.

Related tools

Compare PDFs — Diff the extracted text of two PDFs line-by-line.
PDF to Images — Render PDF pages to PNG or JPG images you can download.
Split PDF — Extract pages or ranges (e.g. 1-3,5,7-9) into a new PDF.
Organize PDF — Reorder, rotate and delete pages from thumbnails, then export.
Merge PDFs — Combine multiple PDFs into one, with reordering.
Image to PDF — Combine images into a single PDF (auto / portrait / landscape).
Compress PDF — Shrink a PDF by re-rendering each page to a JPEG at a chosen quality and resolution.
Markdown Preview — Render Markdown to HTML with a live preview.