PDF to Text
Extract the text from a PDF as a plain .txt file.
Reading the text layer…
How to use this tool
- Select your file, drag it onto the box above.
- Processing starts automatically — there is nothing to configure.
- Check the result panel, which shows the original size, the final size and the page count.
- Click Download to save it.
This reads the actual text layer inside the PDF. It is exact and instant on any PDF produced by a word processor or export. A scanned PDF has no text layer — the pages are photographs — and will come back empty. The tool tells you when that is the case rather than handing you a blank file.
The specification
| Output | Plain text (.txt), UTF-8 |
|---|---|
| Method | Reads the embedded text layer |
| Scanned PDFs | Not supported — there is no text to read |
| Page markers | Each page is labelled in the output |
| Page limit | 60 pages |
Why uploads get rejected
Meeting the size is only part of it. These are the failures that actually come up:
- The PDF is a scan. There is no text layer, so nothing can be extracted. Recognising the words would need OCR, which this tool does not do.
- The PDF is password-protected.
- The layout is complex — multi-column text often extracts in an unexpected reading order, because the text layer stores position, not structure.
How it works
Every PDF that was produced by a word processor or export carries a text layer — the actual characters, with their positions. This tool reads that layer directly, so extraction is exact and instant.
A scanned PDF has no text layer. Its pages are photographs of paper, and there is nothing to read. The tool detects that and tells you, rather than handing back an empty file and letting you wonder.
Who uses this
Copying content out of a report, feeding a document into another tool, or checking whether a PDF has a machine-readable text layer at all — which matters for résumés read by applicant tracking systems.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my output empty?
Your PDF is almost certainly a scan. Scanned pages are images, with no text layer to extract. Reading the words would require OCR — optical character recognition — which this tool does not perform.
Does it preserve formatting?
No. You get plain text with page markers. Columns, tables and text boxes extract in the order they appear in the file, which is not always the reading order you see on screen.
Is there a page limit?
Sixty pages. Beyond that a browser tab typically runs out of memory, and failing clearly is better than crashing halfway through.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. Everything runs inside your browser on your own device. Your file is never transmitted and never stored by us. You can confirm this by opening your browser’s Network tab while you use the tool — you will see no upload request.
Is there a limit on how many files I can process?
No. There is no daily cap, no account, and no watermark. Because the work happens on your device rather than our servers, there is nothing for us to ration.
Is this tool really free?
Yes — no account, no trial, no watermark, and no cap on usage. It runs on your own device rather than our servers, so there is no cost for us to pass on.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes. The interface adapts to phone and tablet screens, and everything runs in the browser, so there is no app to install.
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Your files stay on your device. This tool runs entirely in your browser. No file is uploaded, transmitted, or stored. You can verify this by opening your browser's Network tab while using the tool.
Disclaimer. Specifications published by exam boards, governments and platforms change without notice. We verify and date every specification on this site, but you should always confirm against the official source before submitting an application. See our full disclaimer.