Scanned PDF to text (OCR)

Turn a scanned PDF into editable, searchable text. Digital pages are read from their text layer; photographed or scanned pages are recognised with OCR. Everything happens on your device.

Your file never leaves your device.

How to convert PDF to TXT

Open the PDF and the tool inspects every page: if it contains a real text layer, that text is extracted instantly; if it is an image, the page is rendered at high resolution and analysed with Tesseract, an open-source OCR engine compiled to WebAssembly. Choose the language of the document for the best accuracy, then copy the text or download it as a TXT file.

Step 1: Add your PDF
Drop the scanned PDF onto the converter or click to browse. It is opened locally.
Step 2: Choose the language
Pick the language of the text in the document; English is always included for mixed pages.
Step 3: Download the text
Review the recognised text and save it as a TXT file.

Good to know

Choose the language of the document, not the language of your browser.
Clean, straight scans at around 300 dpi give the best results.
Handwriting is only partially recognised; printed text works best.
If the PDF already has selectable text, PDF to TXT is faster and lighter.

Why use this PDF to TXT converter?

Works with scans and photos, not only PDFs that already contain text.
Nothing is uploaded: confidential documents stay on your device.
Digital pages are read instantly; OCR only runs on the pages that need it.
Free, with no account and no watermark.

Is it free?

Yes. Converting PDF to TXT is free, with no watermark, signup or email required. Local conversions have no artificial file-size or daily cap; the practical limit is your device.

Is my file uploaded?

The PDF file is processed entirely in your browser. It is never uploaded, never stored and never seen by anyone, so this is safe for confidential files.

More ways to work with a PDF

PDF editor →

About the formats

What is PDF?

PDF (Portable Document Format) reproduces a document exactly as it was laid out, regardless of the device, operating system or software used to view it. It is the standard choice for sharing, printing and archiving documents whose appearance must not change. Text-based PDFs can be converted to Markdown, plain text or HTML here.

Use PDF whenever the layout matters more than editing, reports, invoices, contracts, résumés and anything you need to share or print so it looks identical everywhere. Choose PDF when recipients should see exactly what you saw, with no fonts or margins shifting.

PDF (Portable Document Format)

What is TXT?

TXT is the plain-text format: raw characters with no formatting, styles or embedded objects. Because it makes no assumptions about the reader, a TXT file opens in any text editor, terminal, phone or device. It is the most compatible format that exists.

Use TXT for notes, logs, code and any content that must remain readable in every tool, now and in the future. Choose plain text when you need universal compatibility and have no need for formatting.

Plain Text (TXT)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PDF to TXT conversion free?

Yes. It is free, with no watermark, signup or email required. Local conversions have no artificial file-size or daily cap; the practical limit is your device.

Does it work with any scanned PDF?

Yes, with PDFs whose pages are images or that have no usable text layer. Password-protected files must be unlocked first.

How long does it take?

Digital pages are instant. Scanned pages take a few seconds each, and the first run also downloads the language model.

Is it safe to extract text from a scanned pdf here?

Yes. The work happens on your own device with WebAssembly and browser APIs, so the file is not uploaded at all. You can even disconnect from the internet once the page has loaded.

Do I need to install anything?

No. Everything runs in a modern browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari) on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. There is no app, plugin or account.

Can I convert TXT back to PDF?

Yes, there is a dedicated TXT to PDF converter linked in the related tools below. Keep in mind that information dropped in one direction cannot always be restored in the other.

Need the opposite? Convert TXT to PDF

PDFProcessed locally