PDF to Text
PDF to Text pulls the text layer out of a PDF so you can copy, paste, or save it as a .txt file. Works on any PDF that contains selectable text. Scanned PDFs with no text layer are detected automatically and offered OCR.
100% privateFast, in-browserNo account needed
Drop a PDF to extract text
Files are processed in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
How it works
- 1
Upload your PDF.
- 2
Click Extract Text.
- 3
Copy the text or download it as a .txt file.
Frequently asked questions
Does this work on scanned PDFs?
If the PDF has a text layer, extraction is instant. If it's a pure image scan with no text layer, PDFSwift detects that and offers a one-click OCR fallback that runs entirely in your browser.
What if I only want OCR?
Use the OCR PDF tool instead — it skips the text-layer check and runs OCR directly on every page.