Extract Text from PDF Online

Convert the selectable text inside a PDF into a plain text file. The tool reads each page’s text layer, adds a page heading, and prepares a TXT file that you can open in a text editor or use as a starting point for further editing.

How to extract text from a PDF

1. Select a PDF file from your device.
2. Click Extract Text.
3. Wait while the tool reads the pages.
4. Download the extracted TXT file.

What kind of PDF works best?

Text-based PDFs with selectable text usually produce the best results. Scanned documents that contain only page images do not have a text layer, so this tool cannot read their words. Use an OCR tool for scanned PDFs before extracting text.

Privacy and limitations

Text extraction is performed in your browser by the included PDF library; the code does not upload the selected document to a ToolsA2Z server. The library loads from a public CDN, so internet access is required to load the tool. Extracted text is plain text: the original page layout, fonts, tables, images and precise formatting are not retained. Reading order may vary for complex multi-column documents.

Frequently asked questions

Can it extract text from scanned PDFs?
No. This version does not include OCR and needs a selectable text layer.

What file will I download?
A plain TXT file containing extracted text and page headings.

Will tables and formatting be preserved?
No. The output is plain text and does not preserve the original layout or formatting.

Is my PDF uploaded?
The code processes the PDF in your browser and does not send it to a ToolsA2Z server.

Why is some text missing or out of order?
PDFs with complex layouts, columns or unusual text encoding may extract imperfectly.