Does this work on scanned PDFs?

No — this reads the PDF's existing text layer, so it only works on PDFs that already contain real, selectable text. For a scanned or image-only PDF, run OCR PDF first to create a text layer, then extract from that.

Will the formatting (columns, tables, fonts) be preserved?

No — this extracts plain text content only, in reading order. For a result that keeps formatting and layout, use PDF to Word instead.

What happens if no text is found?

You'll get a clear message rather than an empty downloaded file — usually because the PDF is scanned or image-only rather than containing a real text layer.

PDF Tool

Extract Text from PDF

Pull all text content out of a PDF into a plain text file. Runs entirely in your browser.

UploadProcessingDownload

Drag a PDF here, or click to browse

Single file · Max 100.0 MB

How it works

1
Upload the PDF.
2
Documateo reads the PDF's real text layer entirely in your browser.
3
Preview the extracted text, then download it as a .txt file.

Extract Text from PDF — frequently asked questions

Does this work on scanned PDFs?: No — this reads the PDF's existing text layer, so it only works on PDFs that already contain real, selectable text. For a scanned or image-only PDF, run OCR PDF first to create a text layer, then extract from that.
Will the formatting (columns, tables, fonts) be preserved?: No — this extracts plain text content only, in reading order. For a result that keeps formatting and layout, use PDF to Word instead.
What happens if no text is found?: You'll get a clear message rather than an empty downloaded file — usually because the PDF is scanned or image-only rather than containing a real text layer.