PDF to TXT
Pull all the text out of a PDF into a plain .txt file you can open, search and edit anywhere.
- Free
- No signup
- No watermark
- Works on any device
To convert PDF to TXT, select your PDF, choose plain text or keep layout, and click Convert to TXT. PDFVerge reads the text on every page, rebuilds the lines and paragraphs, and gives you a UTF-8 .txt file to download, with a preview you can copy from straight away.
How to convert PDF to TXT
- 1
Select your PDF
Click Select PDF file or drop a PDF onto the green box.
- 2
Choose how the text is laid out
Plain text is best for copying and editing; Keep layout lines up columns and tables with spaces.
- 3
Click Convert to TXT
Download the .txt file, or copy the text from the preview.
Why convert PDF to TXT with PDFVerge
Clean lines and paragraphs
Text is rebuilt line by line from where it sits on the page, so words don't run together and paragraphs stay apart.
Two layouts
Plain text for reusing the words, or Keep layout for columns, tables and forms where position matters.
Preview and copy
See the text before you download it and copy it to your clipboard in one click.
Opens anywhere
A UTF-8 .txt file works in Notepad, TextEdit, Word, code editors and every operating system, with accents and symbols intact.
About converting PDF to text
A .txt file holds only characters, with no fonts, images or layout. That makes it the easiest format to search, paste into another program, feed to a script or a translation tool, or store for the long term. Converting a PDF to TXT keeps the words and drops everything else.
Plain text or keep layout?
Option | Best for |
|---|---|
Plain text | Articles, reports, books and letters: reusing, editing and translating the words |
Keep layout | Invoices, statements, tables and two-column pages, where you need to see what lines up with what |
Convert PDF to text without a website
Open the PDF in your browser or a PDF reader, press Ctrl+A (Cmd+A on a Mac) to select everything, copy it and paste it into Notepad or TextEdit, then save it as a .txt file. This works for short documents, but line breaks and page order are often jumbled and some readers copy one page at a time.
Limits
- Only text that is really in the PDF is extracted; images, charts and scanned pages are skipped.
- Fonts, bold, colors and tables become plain characters.
- Password-protected PDFs must be opened with their password first.
Want to keep the formatting instead? Convert the PDF to an editable Word document. Need the pages as pictures? Use PDF to JPG.
Privacy: this tool converts your file in your browser, on your own device. We don't receive or store it.
PDF to TXT questions
How do I convert a PDF to a TXT file?
Select the PDF, choose Plain text or Keep layout, and click Convert to TXT. Download the .txt file or copy the text from the preview.
Why is my TXT file empty?
The PDF is probably a scan: each page is a picture, so there is no text inside to extract. Run it through OCR to make the text readable, then convert it to TXT.
Can I convert only some pages?
Yes. Under Pages, choose Specific pages and type the pages you want, for example 1-3, 7.
Does PDF to TXT keep tables and columns?
Choose Keep layout and the text is placed with spaces so that columns and table cells line up. Plain text puts each column's lines one after another, which is easier to edit.
What encoding is the TXT file?
UTF-8, which every modern editor reads, so accents, currency symbols and non-English letters come through. Tick Windows line endings if you open it in a very old version of Notepad.
Is PDF to TXT free?
Yes. There is no signup, no page limit and no watermark.