PDF to Text
About this tool
PDF to Text — Extract Clean Text Without Uploading
Pull the text out of a PDF in reading order, without page headers, footers or broken line ends, and copy it or save it as a .txt file. Everything runs locally in your browser — no upload, no sign-up, no watermark and no file size limit.
Reading Order, Not Line Soup
Two-column layouts are read column by column, words hyphenated at line ends are joined again, and paragraphs that run over a page break stay in one piece.
Headers, Footers and Page Numbers Left Out
Lines that repeat at the top or bottom of most pages are recognised and removed, so the text reads as one continuous document.
Scanned Pages Too
Pages without a text layer can be read with OCR right in your browser, using the same recognition as Toolula's PDF editor.
How to use it
- Drop a PDF onto the page, or pick it with the file button.
- Choose Plain text or Markdown and decide whether scanned pages should be read with OCR.
- Click Extract text. Every page is read in your browser and the text appears next to the settings.
- Copy the text to the clipboard or download it as a .txt file.
Frequently asked questions
Are my PDFs uploaded to a server?
No. Toolula processes the document inside your browser tab with pdf-lib and WebAssembly, so the file never leaves your device.
Why does the text come out in the wrong order?
Most PDFs store text in drawing order, not reading order. Toolula works out columns, tables and repeated headers from the positions of the words; unusual layouts, such as text boxes scattered across a poster, can still come out in a different order.
Can it read scanned PDFs?
Yes. With OCR switched on, pages that have no text layer are recognised in your browser. OCR can misread names and numbers, so check those pages; the result tells you which pages were read this way.
Is it really free?
Yes. You can use every Toolula PDF tool for free, without an account. The free plan has fair-use limits; Toolula Pro, an optional plan, raises them and adds advanced features.