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PDF to text

Pull a PDF's text out as a plain .txt file, with paragraphs that paste cleanly.

Runs in your browser. Your file is never uploaded.

PDF to text in short

Add a PDF, then pick the pages to convert, and whether to mark where each page starts, then download a .txt file, or preview and copy the text. It's free, there's no sign-up, and it runs in your browser, so the file never leaves your device.

How to use PDF to text

  1. 1Add a PDF.
  2. 2Pick the pages to convert, and whether to mark where each page starts.
  3. 3Download a .txt file, or preview and copy the text.

Good to know

  • Each paragraph comes out as one line, so the text doesn't break at the end of every printed line when you paste it.
  • Running headers, footers and page numbers that repeat on most pages are left out.
  • Tables come out as lines of text, and multi-column pages may read across columns.
  • Scanned pages have no text to extract. We tell you which pages came out empty; run OCR PDF on them first.
  • The file is UTF-8, so accented letters and non-Latin scripts are kept.
  • Page numbers mean physical positions in the file: page 1 is the first page, whatever number is printed on it.
  • This tool runs in your browser. Very large files depend on your device's memory.

Converting a specific format?

PDF to text: common questions

Is PDF to text free?
Yes. PDF to text is free and works without an account, for files up to 25 MB and 150 pages. A free account raises that to 50 MB and 400 pages.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. PDF to text runs in your web browser, so the file is read on your own device and never sent to ConvertFile.
Does PDF to text work on Mac, Windows, Android and iPhone?
Yes. It runs in any modern web browser, with nothing to install. Very large files work best on a desktop or laptop, because in-browser tools use your device's memory.

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