EasyPDFLoad

Convert PDF to Plain Text Free

Extract selectable text from a PDF into a plain .txt file.

Select PDF file

or drop a PDF here

Extracts selectable text already in the PDF. For scans, use OCR PDF instead.

  • Stays on your device
  • No sign-up
  • No watermark

How to convert PDF to text in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Select PDF file

    Click the button or drop the file. It is not uploaded.

  2. 2

    Convert

    It runs in this tab, on your device.

  3. 3

    Download

    Save the new file. Your original stays as it was.

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About this tool

Pull the selectable text out of a PDF into a plain .txt file you can copy, search, or paste elsewhere. This reads the text layer already in the document — it is not OCR — so it's fast, and nothing is uploaded.

Limits and edge cases
  • This does not read scans or photos of pages. If you can't select text in a normal PDF reader, use OCR PDF instead.
  • Complex layouts (multi-column articles, tables, footnotes) are flattened into reading-order lines — column order can occasionally mix if the original text objects aren't stored left-to-right.
  • Hidden or clipped text that a PDF reader wouldn't show can still appear if it exists in the text layer.
  • Password-protected files need to be unlocked first, since extraction has to open the document.
Compared with tools that upload your file

iLovePDF, Smallpdf and PDF24 all offer this kind of job, and the online ones upload your file to their servers to do it. Here the work happens in this tab instead. Read the honest comparisons with iLovePDF, Smallpdf and PDF24, including where they are the better choice, or how to check that a tool does not upload.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between PDF to Text and OCR?+
PDF to Text copies words that are already stored in the file. OCR looks at the page as an image and tries to read it. If you can highlight text in a PDF reader, use this tool. If you can't, use OCR PDF.
Is my PDF uploaded to extract the text?+
No. pdf.js reads the text layer entirely in your browser — the file never leaves your device.
Why is the result empty or almost empty?+
The PDF is probably a scan. This tool only extracts an existing text layer. Run OCR PDF to read the page images and produce text (or a searchable PDF).
Does the .txt keep page numbers and headings?+
Each page is marked with a "--- Page N ---" separator so you can tell where a break was. Headings are included if they were real text in the PDF, but styling (bold, size, color) is not.
Can I copy instead of downloading?+
Yes. Use Copy text to put the whole extraction on the clipboard, or edit the box first and copy after.
Is there a free PDF to text converter online?+
Yes. This converter is free, needs no account and runs in your browser. It reads the text layer of the PDF. For a scan with no text, use the OCR PDF tool instead.

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Ready to start?

Free, no sign-up, nothing uploaded.