Scanned PDF to Text
Convert a scanned PDF to text you can copy. Upload a scan of printed English pages, review the recognised words, and download a plain TXT file.
What we accept
LIMITS PER FORMAT
1 FORMAT
Max size
20 MB
Pages
up to 20 per job
Files per job
1
Is your PDF a scan?
Try selecting a sentence in your PDF viewer. If the whole page behaves like a picture, it probably needs OCR.
Words cannot be selected
A scanner or phone scanning app often saves each page as an image. Upload that PDF here to recognise its printed English text.
Some pages already contain text
Existing text is read directly where possible; image-only pages use OCR. For everyday PDFs with selectable text, you can also use PDF to Text.
The scan is faint or tilted
Straighten and rescan the page if possible. Keep the whole page in view, avoid shadows and check that small letters are readable before uploading.
The words, in a plain-text file
Use the result as a starting point for notes, search or editing. Review it against the original before relying on it.
Text rather than page design
The download is TXT. Fonts, pictures and the original page layout are not preserved; columns and tables may need rearranging.
Your PDF stays unchanged
This tool extracts text into a separate result and your PDF is not changed. For a searchable PDF or a Word file, open the download menu.
Printed English documents
Start with clear printed English pages. Handwriting and other languages are not supported by this page.
Why people use this tool
For PDFs that look readable but won't let you select the words.
Read image-only pages
OCR recognises printed words in scanned pages. You can copy the result without typing the document again.
Review before you use it
Check names, dates and numbers against the scan. Faint print, stamps and page folds can cause recognition errors.
Take the text with you
Copy the recognised text or download a TXT file. Paste it into your notes or editor and adjust the formatting there.
Reads photos and scanned pages
Clear printed English gives the reader more to work with. Blur, shadows and tilted pages can cause missed or misread text.
Text grouped by page
Pages stay in order. Within a page, columns, lists and headings may need checking before you reuse the text.
Review before you download
Read the extracted text in the result panel, then copy it or download a TXT file. Compare it with your source when accuracy matters.
How to turn a scanned PDF into text
Four steps, all of them in the browser. Nothing to install and no account — then convert to TXT.
Choose your scanned PDF
Upload one PDF, up to 20 MB and 20 pages. Split a longer document before uploading.
Start the conversion
Start converting after the file is ready. Processing time depends on the number of pages, scan quality and server demand.
Review the recognised words
Compare the output with your scan, especially names, numbers and text arranged in columns.
Copy or download the text
Copy the result or download a TXT file within one hour. Make any corrections in your text editor.
What the text result includes
The result is plain text grouped by page. Recognition and reading order depend on the source, so review it before use.
In the result
Plain text you can review, copy or download as TXT.
Page sequence
Pages appear in source order. For an image batch, the order of the images becomes the page order.
Text found
The result contains the words the service could read. Check names, numbers and missing words against your source.
Line breaks
Detected text blocks are separated by line breaks in TXT. Paragraph and heading structure can vary with the source.
Warnings
If processing reports a page warning, it appears with the result so you know what to review.
Check before use
Check the source before relying on the result.
Reading order
Columns, lists, headers and footnotes can be read out of order, especially on complex pages.
Layout and images
TXT does not retain fonts, pictures, tables or exact placement. Reformat the text if you need those details.
About plain text
Plain text stores characters and line breaks, not the layout of the original page.
Scanned pages are read with OCR, so proofread names, numbers and small print before you rely on the text.
Scanned PDF to Text questions
Answers to common questions about Scanned PDF to Text.
Can I extract text from a PDF that won't let me select words?
Yes. If the pages contain clear printed English text, OCR can recognise the words in the scan. Check the result against the original because recognition can make mistakes.
What are the file and page limits?
Upload one PDF up to 20 MB and 20 pages per conversion. Split longer documents first. Password-protected PDFs must be unlocked before uploading.
Will this make my PDF searchable?
The main download here is plain TXT, and your original PDF is not changed. For a PDF you can search, choose Searchable PDF from the download menu or use PDF OCR for searchable PDFs.
Does it preserve tables, columns or formatting?
No. TXT contains text, not the original fonts, pictures or page layout. Columns and tables can appear in an unexpected order and may need manual correction.
Can I use it for handwritten or non-English scans?
This page supports printed English text. Handwriting and other languages are not currently supported.
What if my PDF already has selectable text?
Existing text is read directly where possible. A document can contain both scanned pages and pages with selectable text.
How long are uploads and results kept?
Results expire one hour after conversion. Inputs expire one hour after their last conversion. Cleanup runs every minute and may be delayed during an outage. See Privacy for technical metadata retention.
Other tools in the set
Same reader, same price, same hour-long retention. Pick the one that matches what you need out the other end.