PDF to TXT
Extract the plain text from PDF files. Keep the original line breaks or merge lines into paragraphs. Everything happens in your browser.
Your TXT files are ready
100% Private
Your documents are converted in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
Instant
Files convert on your device, with no waiting for uploads.
Free & Unlimited
No account and no limits on how often you use it.
How to convert PDF to TXT
Three quick steps. Nothing to install and nothing leaves your device.
Add your PDF files
Click the upload area or drag one or more .pdf files onto it.
Choose a layout
Keep the original line breaks, or merge lines into flowing paragraphs.
Convert and download
Press Convert, then download or copy each text file, or get all of them as a ZIP.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about the ConvertKit Lite PDF to TXT tool.
Are my documents uploaded to a server?
No. The text is extracted in your browser, so your PDFs stay on your device.
What is the difference between the two layouts?
Keep line breaks gives you the text as it appears on the page, one line per line, with blank lines between paragraphs. Merge lines into paragraphs joins the lines of each paragraph into one flowing line, which is better for copying into emails or documents.
Can I convert scanned PDFs?
No. Scanned PDFs are pictures of pages and contain no selectable text, so there is nothing to extract. Run OCR on the file first, then add it again.
Why is the text order or spacing wrong?
PDF files store text as pieces placed on the page, not as flowing paragraphs. Multi-column pages, tables and headers can come out in a different order than you read them. Large gaps between words are kept as tab characters, so tables stay roughly aligned.
Why do some characters look wrong?
Try the UTF-8 with BOM option, which helps Excel and older Notepad versions read non-English text correctly. If a PDF has damaged or custom fonts, some characters may still be extracted incorrectly.
Can I convert password-protected PDFs?
No. Remove the password in your PDF viewer first, then add the file again.
Can I convert many files at once?
Yes. Add several PDF files, convert them together, and download each TXT file or one ZIP.