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PDF to text

Extract the text layer of a PDF as a plain .txt file - to copy, reuse or search. Local, no upload.

Running locally on your device ...

Your files

    Running locally on your device ...

    0%

    Is my file uploaded?

    No. Everything runs in your browser - your file never leaves your device. How this is verifiable

    No upload100% local
    Your content stays with youno third-party access
    Hosted in GermanyGlobal Content Delivery
    Independently auditedTLS A+ · HTTP headers A+

    Sometimes you only need the plain text from a PDF: lift a quote into a document, copy a contract into your editor, index content for a search or archive, or hand text to a read-aloud / screen-reader tool. This tool reads the text layer embedded in the PDF and returns it as a simple .txt file - without fonts, images, colours or layout, just the characters.

    The order is reconstructed page by page: pieces of text at the same height form one line, read top to bottom and left to right. Pages are separated by a blank line, so the output is easy to reuse, import or search.

    Important and honest: this tool only extracts text that is already present as a text layer in the PDF. A scanned PDF, or one made entirely of photos, has no such layer - there the output stays empty and you need the text recognition "PDF OCR" instead, which detects letters from the pixels. Complex layouts with multiple columns, tables or footnotes also cannot always be brought into a perfectly linear text order. For ordinary, "real" PDFs (created by office programs, browsers or typesetting systems) the extraction delivers clean, reusable text. Everything runs locally in the browser via pdf.js; your file does not leave your device.

    Specifications

    Specifications
    Input formatsPDF
    Auto-conversionPNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, BMP, TIFF, ICO, SVG, HEIC, ZIP, DOCX, 7Z, DDS, HDR, PCX, WBMP
    Output formatTXT
    Batch processingNo
    ProcessingLocally in your browser (JavaScript)
    File uploadNone

    In 3 steps

    1. Drop your PDF.
    2. Text is extracted automatically.
    3. Download the text as .txt.

    Limitations: Extracts the existing text layer of a PDF and returns it as a UTF-8 .txt file; lines are reconstructed from the text positions. Scanned or image-only PDFs have no text layer - the output stays empty there, use "PDF OCR" instead. Fonts, images, colours and exact layout (multi-column pages, tables) are lost or only linearly approximated. Open password-protected PDFs first with "Unlock PDF".

    FAQ

    Why is my text file empty?

    Your PDF is probably a scan or made of images and has no text layer. Use "PDF OCR", which recognises text from the pixels, instead.

    Is the layout preserved?

    No. You get plain text in reading order. Fonts, images, columns and tables are not reproduced faithfully.

    What encoding is the file in?

    UTF-8, so umlauts and special characters are preserved correctly.

    How are multiple pages separated?

    By a blank line between pages.

    Is the PDF uploaded?

    No, text extraction happens entirely locally in the browser.

    Related tools

    PDF OCR (searchable) · PDF to Word · Extract PDF pages · PDF to Markdown · DOCX to HTML · DOCX to Markdown