PDF to Text
Pull all the selectable text out of a PDF. Copy it to your clipboard or download it as a plain .txt file — no upload needed.
- Free, no signup
- No watermark
- Files never leave your device
or drag and drop one PDF here
How to extract text from a PDF
- Choose your PDF. Pick a file with the button above or drag it onto the box.
- Choose page markers. Keep “Mark where each page starts” on to see page breaks in the text.
- Extract. Select “Extract text”. A preview appears when it's done.
- Copy or download. Copy the text to your clipboard, or download it as a .txt file.
Tips for clean text
- Scanned documents. Scans are pictures of text, so there's nothing to extract without OCR. FoxletPDF tells you when that's the case.
- Columns and tables. Text is read in the order it's stored in the PDF, so multi-column layouts and tables may come out in a different order.
- Need formatting? Plain text doesn't keep fonts, bold or layout — it's best for copying, searching and quoting.
- Large documents. Very long PDFs are processed page by page, so you can cancel at any time.
Your files stay on your device
Like every FoxletPDF tool, this one runs inside your browser. Your file is read from your device, processed with open-source PDF libraries (pdf-lib and PDF.js), and handed straight back to you as a download. Nothing is uploaded, logged or stored. See our privacy policy for details.
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded to extract text?
No. Text is read by your browser and the file never leaves your device.
Why is no text found?
The PDF is probably a scan or photo. Text inside images needs OCR (optical character recognition), which FoxletPDF doesn't offer yet.
Does it keep formatting?
No. You get plain text, with line breaks and optional page markers.
Why are words in a strange order?
PDFs store text in drawing order, which can differ from reading order in columns and tables.
What encoding is the .txt file?
UTF-8, which opens correctly in every modern text editor.