PDF to Text
Pull the plain text out of a PDF into a simple .txt file — right in your browser, with nothing uploaded.
Drop your file hereTap to add your file
or click to choose · nothing leaves your device
Private by design. This tool runs entirely in your browser — your file is processed on your device and is never uploaded to us. How this works
PDF to Text reads the text out of your PDF and saves it as a plain .txt file — no formatting, no images, just the words. It is the quickest way to grab the content of a document for a note, an email, a search, or to paste somewhere else.
It runs entirely in your browser, so your file is never uploaded — private, instant, with no account and no watermark.
How it works
Your browser reads the text layer of the PDF, page by page, and writes it into a single text file for you to download. Because it is pulling out text that is already there, it is instant and completely private — nothing is sent to a server.
How to PDF to Text
Add your PDF
Drop the file onto the box above or click to browse. It loads straight into your browser — no upload.
Run PDF to Text
Click the button and Ream reads out the text from every page.
Download the .txt file
Save the plain-text file — created entirely on your device.
Works on text — not on scans
One important limit: PDF to Text extracts existing text. If your PDF is a scan — a photo of a page — there is no text to pull out, and you’ll get little or nothing back. Run OCR on the scan first to add a text layer, then extract. (Not sure if yours is a scan? If you can’t select the text in a normal reader, it is a scan.)
What you get (and what you don’t)
The output is plain text: the words in reading order, with a blank line between pages. Formatting, columns, tables and images aren’t preserved — that is the whole point of plain text. If you need the layout and tables kept, convert to Word instead; if you want the pages as pictures, use PDF to Images.
When plain text is what you want
- Copying a quote or paragraph out of a report.
- Getting text into a note, email or chat.
- Feeding content into a search or a script.
- Stripping a document down to just the words.
Why choose Ream
Just the words
Clean plain text in reading order, with pages separated — ready to paste anywhere.
Instant
It reads existing text rather than converting, so it finishes the moment you click.
Private by design
Everything runs in your browser. Your PDF is never uploaded, so it stays on your device.
Free
No account, no watermark, no limits.
Frequently asked questions
How do I extract text from a PDF?
Add the file and click Run PDF to Text. You download a .txt file containing the text from every page.
Why is my output empty or garbled?
The PDF is almost certainly a scan, which has no text to extract. Run OCR first to add a text layer, then try again.
Does it keep the formatting and tables?
No — the output is plain text. To keep layout and tables, convert to Word instead.
Does it work on every page?
Yes — text is pulled from all pages, with a blank line separating each one.
Is my file uploaded to a server?
No. Text extraction runs entirely in your browser — the PDF never leaves your device.
Can I get an editable Word file instead?
Yes — PDF to Word rebuilds the text and tables as an editable document.
Is it free, with no watermark?
Yes — free, no sign-up, and no watermark.