Extract Text from PDF
Pull plain text from any PDF for copying, editing, and reuse. Perfect for research, data entry, and repurposing content — instant and browser-based.
Need the text from a PDF without the layout, images, or formatting? PDF.it extracts all selectable text from your PDF and delivers it as a clean plain text file you can copy, edit, or paste anywhere.
- ✓ Extract all selectable text from any PDF
- ✓ Output as a clean plain text file
- ✓ Works on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and Linux
- ✓ No installation — extract text in your browser
Drop your files here
or click to browse files
Supported formats: .pdf
Max file size: 25MB
Extract Text for Research and Study
Working with academic papers or reference documents? Extract the text to quote passages, take notes, or compile research without retyping.
Pull Content for Emails and Messages
Need to share specific content from a PDF in an email or chat? Extract the text, copy the relevant sections, and paste them directly.
Copy Text from Contracts and Legal Docs
Extract text from contracts, agreements, and legal PDFs to review clauses, compare terms, or reuse language in new documents.
How to Extract Text from a PDF
Upload your PDF
Drag and drop or click to choose a file
Click Extract Text
All selectable text is pulled automatically
Download your text
Get the plain text file or copy directly
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I extract text from a PDF?
Upload your PDF to PDF.it, click Extract, and download a plain text file containing all the text from your PDF. You can then copy, edit, or paste it anywhere.
Does extracting text preserve the original formatting?
PDF.it extracts the raw text content from your PDF. Basic paragraph structure is preserved, but complex formatting like tables, columns, and fonts may not carry over to the plain text output.
Can I extract text from a scanned PDF?
Scanned PDFs contain images instead of selectable text. To extract text from scans, use PDF.it's OCR Scanner tool, which uses optical character recognition to read text from images.
What languages are supported for text extraction?
PDF.it can extract text from PDFs in any language, including English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and more — as long as the PDF contains selectable text.
Can I extract text from a PDF on my phone?
Yes. PDF.it works in mobile browsers — upload your PDF, extract the text, and download or copy it on iPhone or Android.
Is it free to extract text from a PDF?
Yes. Free accounts get 10 extractions per day. Pro accounts get unlimited extractions with no daily limits.