PDF to Text Converter

Extract readable content from any document in moments.

Supports PDF files

Size up to 100 MB

How to convert PDF to text

Three steps, no software needed.

  1. 1.🚀

    Upload your PDF file

    Drag and drop your document or select it from your computer or phone. Upload your PDF and the tool does the rest.

  2. 2.⚡

    Choose your output format

    Select plain text (TXT), Word or searchable PDF as your output.

  3. 3. ✅

    Download the result

    Save the PDF to text file to your device or copy the content directly.

How it works illustration

More PDF tools you might need

What makes our PDF to text converter different
📝

Accurate extraction

Text, headings and paragraphs from your PDF transfer to the output exactly. Converting PDF to text keeps your content intact.

✏️

OCR for scanned files

Scanned documents and image-based PDFs are processed with optical character recognition to extract text from PDF files accurately.

🎨

Multiple output formats

Export as plain text for raw content, Word for easy editing, or searchable PDF to add an OCR text layer to scanned documents.

🔄

Works everywhere

Runs on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone. Turn PDF into text from any browser.

🖋️

No registration

Use our free PDF to text converter without signing up. No email, no trial, no fees.

📋

Secure processing

Your files are deleted after the PDF to text conversion is complete.

Frequently asked questions

What is a .txt file, and why would I need one?

A .txt file stores plain text without formatting, embedded images or fonts. It opens on every device and operating system without specialized software. You can also convert PDF to TXT when you need raw content for data processing, coding, note-taking, or feeding text into other applications.

Why convert PDF to text?

Plain text is lightweight, easy to search and compatible with virtually every application and operating system. When you convert PDFs to text documents, the content becomes editable and simpler to reuse in other projects, from academic research to data processing and content migration.

What is the fastest way to convert PDF files to text?

Upload your document and choose your output format. The converter reads the PDF content, extracts text from every page, and produces a clean file in TXT, Word or searchable PDF format. You can convert PDF to text online in a few clicks without installing software or creating an account.

Does the formatting stay the same?

Our converter preserves paragraph structure, line breaks and the reading order of the original PDF. You can convert PDF to text without losing formatting of the actual textual content. Since .txt files do not support fonts, colors or images, those elements are not included, but the reading order and structure remain accurate and well-organized.

Can I extract text from a scanned PDF?

Yes. Our OCR technology reads text from scanned pages and image-based PDF documents. The optical character recognition engine analyzes each page, identifies characters, and delivers the extracted content as a clean text file. You can also choose searchable PDF to keep the original layout with a text layer added. This works for contracts, forms, receipts and other scanned material.

Can I convert large PDF documents to text?

Yes. Our tool handles documents of any length, from single-page forms to multi-hundred-page reports. The processing time scales with the document size but typically stays under 30 seconds. There are no file size restrictions, so you can convert large PDF files to text without limitations.

Is it safe to use a PDF to text converter?

Yes. PDFFly processes your files securely and deletes them automatically after conversion.

Convert PDF to text free of charge

Extract every word from your document. Works with scanned files too. No account needed.