PDF to text
To get the text out of a PDF, choose the file and Nolo extracts the text of every page right away. Copy it or download it as a .txt file; nothing is uploaded.
- ๐ Runs on your device
- โค 0 bytes uploaded
- ๐ด Works offline
- โ Free, no sign-up, no watermark
- โฌ 2 MB engine, first use only
How to use PDF to Text
- Choose the PDF file.
- Wait a moment while the text of each page is extracted.
- Copy the text, or download it as a .txt file.
About PDF to Text
pdf.js reads the text operators of each page and Nolo joins them into lines in reading order. Some PDFs store text in an unusual order or without proper character maps; then the extracted text can have odd spacing or symbols, exactly as when you copy from a PDF viewer.
Is it private?
Yes. PDF to Text runs entirely in your web browser using your device's own processor. Your files are never uploaded to Nolo or anyone else, and the page cannot send them anywhere: its security policy only allows it to talk to nolotools.com, which has no place to receive files. Results are kept encrypted on your device for 60 minutes in Your files, then deleted automatically, or straight away with Delete all. How Nolo works.
Questions and answers
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The text is extracted inside your browser with pdf.js. The file never leaves your device.
Why is no text found in my PDF?
Scanned documents and photos of pages contain pictures of text, not real text. They need OCR (optical character recognition), which this tool does not do.
Will the layout be kept?
Line breaks are kept and pages are separated, but columns, tables and fonts are not. The result is plain text, ideal for copying, searching or feeding to other tools.
Can I extract text from a password-protected PDF?
Unlock it first with Unlock PDF (you need the password), then extract the text.
Does it work with non-English text?
Yes. Text in any language is extracted as Unicode, as long as the PDF stores real text.