Extract Text from PDF Online
Use PDF to text to copy all the words out of a PDF, page by page. Typed PDFs are read exactly; scanned pages are recognised with on-device OCR in English or Hindi. For fully scanned files, OCR PDF runs OCR on every page.
Why use our PDF to Text tool?
- Retyping from a PDF is slow and error-prone
- Some PDFs block copy and paste in viewers
- You may need text for forms, emails or notes
- Scanned PDFs have no selectable text
- Plain text is easy to search and edit
How to extract text from a PDF
- Tap Choose PDF.
- Leave OCR on "only when a page has no text".
- Pick the OCR language if your PDF is scanned.
- Tap Extract text.
- Copy the text or download a .txt file.
Where people use it
- 📚 Quote study material in notes
- 🏦 Copy account details from statements
- ⚖️ Reuse clauses from agreements
- 📰 Get the text of circulars and notices
- 💼 Copy a CV into a job portal form
- 🔍 Search a long document quickly
Typed vs scanned PDFs
A PDF made from Word, a website or a bank system contains real text, which is copied out exactly. A PDF made from a scanner or phone camera contains only pictures of text, so the words must be recognised with OCR (optical character recognition). OCR is very good on clean printed text and weaker on handwriting, stamps and faint photocopies.
For scanned documents, try OCR PDF
If all your pages are scans, the OCR PDF page runs OCR on every page by default, with Hindi and English options.
Copy text from a PDF that will not let you
Some PDFs block copying in Acrobat or the phone's viewer, or turn copied text into gibberish. If the PDF opens without a password, this tool reads its text layer directly and puts it in the box below, ready to copy. If the copied text is garbled (some PDFs use fonts without proper character maps), switch the scanned-pages option to Always use OCR: the tool then reads the page like a photo instead.
Tables and columns
The output is plain text, one line per printed line, with page markers. Tables come out as rows of words separated by spaces, and two-column layouts may interleave. For a table you need in Excel, copy the rows and use Excel's Text to Columns; for a whole document you want to edit, paste the text into Word or use JPG to Word on page images.
PDF to Text: this tool vs typical online tools
What changes when the work happens on your own device
| Feature | ✅ jpgtopdf | Typical online tool |
|---|---|---|
| 🧠 Scanned pages | ✅ Automatic OCR fallback | ❌ Typed PDFs only |
| 🇮🇳 Hindi OCR | ✅ Supported | ❌ Rarely |
| 📋 Copy | ✅ One tap | ❌ Select manually |
| 🔒 Privacy | ✅ Stays on your device | ❌ Often uploaded to a server |
| 💧 Watermark | ✅ Never | ❌ Sometimes on free plans |
| 💰 Cost | ✅ 100% free | ❌ Free with limits or paid |
🏆 Perfect for getting text outTyped or scanned, you get the words.
PDF to Text FAQs
Why is some text out of order?
PDFs store text in drawing order, which for multi-column layouts is not always reading order. The tool groups text into lines, but tables and columns may need small fixes.
Can it read Hindi?
Yes, for scanned pages choose Hindi or English + Hindi as the OCR language. Typed Hindi PDFs are read directly when the PDF stores proper Unicode text.
Why does OCR download something first?
The OCR engine and language file (a few MB) are downloaded once and cached by your browser. Your PDF itself is never uploaded.
Is there a page limit?
No limit for typed PDFs. OCR takes a few seconds per page, so long scanned PDFs take a while on phones.
How do I extract text from a scanned PDF?
Choose the PDF and leave OCR on "only when a page has no text". Scanned pages are read with OCR automatically; pick Hindi if the scan is in Hindi.
Why can I not copy text from my PDF?
Either it is a scan (pictures of text) or copying is restricted. This tool reads restricted PDFs directly and uses OCR for scans.
Does PDF to text keep tables?
No, it extracts plain text. Table rows come out as lines of words that you can paste into Excel and split into columns.
How do I copy text from a PDF on my phone?
Open this page in your phone browser, choose the PDF, tap Extract text, then Copy text.