PDF to Text Converter — Free & Online
Extract plain text from any PDF instantly in your browser. No upload, no sign-up, no limits.
How to convert PDF to text online
Converting a PDF to plain text takes three steps and a few seconds.
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1
Select your PDF
Drag and drop the file or browse your device. Any size, any page count.
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2
Extract text instantly
The converter reads the text layer page by page — entirely on your device.
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3
Copy or download
Copy the plain text to your clipboard or download it as a .txt file.
Need headings and lists preserved?{' '} Convert PDF to Markdown{' '} instead — or extract structured data with our{' '} PDF to JSON converter.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a PDF to text?
Drop your PDF into the box above. The text is extracted instantly in your browser — preview it, copy it, or download it as a .txt file. No installation and no account needed.
Is this PDF to text converter free?
Yes, completely free with no page limits. Because the conversion runs on your own device, there are no server costs — the tool stays free and unlimited.
Are my PDF files uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything runs locally in your browser with JavaScript. Your documents never leave your device, which makes this safe for confidential files.
What is the difference between PDF to text and PDF to Markdown?
PDF to text gives you plain, unformatted text — ideal for copy-pasting, search indexing, or feeding simple pipelines. PDF to Markdown preserves structure like headings and lists, which is better for notes, documentation, and LLM prompts.
Why is the output empty for my PDF?
Your PDF is likely a scanned document — images of pages without a text layer. You need OCR (optical character recognition) to turn the images into text first.
Can I remove repeating headers and footers?
Yes — tick the "Remove repeating headers/footers" option before converting. The tool detects lines that repeat at the top or bottom of most pages (like document titles and page numbers) and strips them automatically.