Can I extract text from scanned PDFs?

Only if the scanned PDF has a text layer (created by OCR software). Pure image scans without OCR cannot extract text—they're just pictures of text. If your scanned PDF doesn't extract text, use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software first to add a text layer, then extract. Many scanning software includes OCR, or you can use online OCR tools.

Will the extracted text preserve formatting and layout?

No, text extraction produces plain text only—formatting, tables, columns, fonts, and layout are not preserved. The tool extracts text in reading order, which may not match the visual layout of complex PDFs. For formatted text extraction, use desktop software like Adobe Acrobat that can preserve some formatting.

Can I extract text from specific pages only?

Currently, the tool extracts text from all pages. If you need specific pages, use our PDF Split tool first to extract those pages, then extract text from the split PDF. This workflow gives you control over which pages to extract text from.

What's the maximum file size I can process?

The practical limit is your browser's available memory, typically 50-100MB depending on your device. For best performance, we recommend files under 50MB. Files larger than 100MB may cause browser crashes. For very large files, use desktop software like Adobe Acrobat or split the PDF into smaller chunks first.

Can I extract text from password-protected PDFs?

No, password-protected PDFs must be unlocked first before extracting text. Use our PDF Unlock tool to remove the password, then extract text from the unlocked PDF. This ensures all pages can be properly accessed for text extraction.

PDF Extract Text - Copy Content Free

When to Use This Tool

Use this when:

You need to copy text from a PDF document that doesn't allow text selection
You want to extract quotes or specific content from PDFs for use in other documents
You're converting PDF content to editable text format (Word, Google Docs, etc.)
You need to extract text from scanned PDFs (if they have text layer) for searching or editing
You want to extract text from PDFs for data analysis, research, or content reuse
You're preparing content from PDFs for translation or text processing
You need to extract text from PDFs for accessibility purposes or screen readers

Don't use this if:

You need to extract text from PDFs larger than 100MB (browser memory limits may cause crashes)
You want to extract text from password-protected PDFs (unlock first using PDF Unlock tool)
You're trying to extract text from image-only PDFs without OCR (scanned documents without text layer)
You require batch processing of 20+ PDFs simultaneously (use desktop software)
You need to preserve formatting, tables, or complex layouts (this extracts plain text only)

What is a PDF Text Extractor?

A PDF text extractor pulls all text content from a PDF document, converting it into plain text or structured text that can be edited, searched, and reused. Our tool extracts text entirely in your browser — your documents never leave your device.

Text extraction from PDFs is essential for making document content searchable, repurposing content for other formats, analyzing document contents programmatically, copying text from PDFs that have copy protection, and creating accessible versions of PDF-only content.

This tool is valuable for researchers extracting content from academic papers for citations and notes, content writers repurposing PDF content for web articles, data analysts extracting structured data from PDF reports, legal professionals pulling text from court documents for case files, and developers building document processing workflows.

Compared to manually selecting and copying text from a PDF viewer (which often includes formatting artifacts and breaks), Adobe Acrobat's export function (paid), or online extractors that upload your sensitive documents to cloud servers, PureXio extracts text locally using pdf.js with clean output formatting.

The tool preserves paragraph structure where possible, handles multi-column layouts, extracts text from all pages or selected page ranges, and provides clean output without the invisible characters and formatting issues common with PDF copy-paste. Output can be copied to clipboard or downloaded as a text file.

Best for: extracting text from PDFs with clean formatting. Handles multi-column layouts, preserves paragraphs. All pages or selected ranges. 100% private.

How to Extract Text from PDF

Drop your PDF file (up to 100MB) or click to browse and select your file

The tool automatically extracts text from all pages. Wait for processing to complete

Copy extracted text to clipboard or download as a text file (.txt). Text is displayed with page markers for reference

Common Use Cases

Extract text from a 50-page PDF report to create a summary document in Word

Copy quotes or citations from PDF research papers for use in your own documents

Extract text from PDF contracts or legal documents for editing in Word processors

Extract text from scanned PDF documents (with text layer) for searching or editing

Extract content from PDF ebooks or articles for note-taking or research

Extract text from PDF forms or applications for data entry into other systems

Extract text from PDF presentations or slides for creating transcripts or summaries

Features

Extract text from all pages or specific pages in a PDF

Copy extracted text to clipboard with one click

Download extracted text as a plain text file (.txt)

Page markers show which page each text section came from

Process PDFs up to 100MB (limited by browser memory)

100% private—all processing happens in your browser

Works with text-based PDFs and scanned PDFs with text layer

Limitations & Constraints

Maximum file size: 100MB (browser memory limit). For larger files, use desktop software like Adobe Acrobat.

Password-protected PDFs must be unlocked first. Use our PDF Unlock tool before extracting text.

Image-only PDFs (scanned documents without text layer) cannot extract text—use OCR software first.

Text extraction may not preserve formatting, tables, columns, or complex layouts—extracts plain text only.

Very large PDFs (200+ pages) may process slowly. Consider splitting into smaller batches for better performance.

Troubleshooting

Text extraction fails or shows 'No text found' error

Solution: The PDF may be image-only (scanned document without text layer). Use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software first to add a text layer, then extract. If the PDF is password-protected, unlock it first using our PDF Unlock tool. Verify the PDF contains selectable text by trying to select text in a PDF reader. Prevention: Ensure PDFs have a text layer before extraction. Test PDF in a reader to verify text is selectable.

Extracted text is jumbled or has incorrect spacing

Solution: Complex PDF layouts (multi-column, tables, rotated text) may extract with incorrect spacing. This is normal for complex layouts—the tool extracts text in reading order which may not match visual layout. For better results with complex PDFs, use desktop software with advanced extraction. Try extracting specific pages instead of all pages. Prevention: Test extraction on a simple PDF first to verify the tool works correctly.

Browser crashes when extracting text from large PDF

Solution: Close other browser tabs and applications to free up memory. Try a different browser (Chrome handles large files better than Firefox). Split the PDF into smaller chunks (20-30 pages at a time) if it's very large. If crashes persist, use desktop software for files over 50MB. Prevention: Keep files under 50MB. Check available system memory before processing large files.

Some pages show 'No text found' while others extract correctly

Solution: Mixed PDFs (some pages with text, some image-only) will only extract text from pages with a text layer. Pages without text layer (scanned images) cannot extract text. Use OCR software to add text layer to image-only pages first. Alternatively, extract text only from pages that have text. Prevention: Verify all pages have text layer before extraction, or use OCR for image-only pages.

Text extraction takes too long or seems stuck

Solution: Large PDFs (over 30MB or 100+ pages) can take 1-2 minutes to process. Check your browser's task manager to see if it's still processing. If it's been more than 3 minutes, refresh the page and try a smaller file or extract from specific pages only. Ensure you have a stable internet connection (for initial page load). Prevention: Keep files under 30MB for faster processing. Close other applications to free up system resources.