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PDF to Text Online

Export PDF content to TXT or RTF files. Upload one file up to 256 MB. No registration required.

Technical content edited by Tools.4PDF.Net • Updated September 8, 2026

Drop files here

Choose one file · up to 256 MB

Choose filesFiles are protected and deleted automatically

Guide

How to use PDF to text

Three steps from the source document to the result you need.

1
Select a PDF file
Select the right task for your document.
2
Select TXT or RTF
Drop files or select them directly from your device.
3
Download text content
Track progress and download your file when it is ready.

Fast and direct

No account, no installation and no unnecessary steps.

Private workspace

Only this session can access your files.

Automatic deletion

Input files and results expire after one hour.

Learn about this tool

What is convert PDF to text?

A tool to convert PDF to text that extracts text content from a PDF file up to 256 MB and outputs in TXT or RTF. TXT is suitable for searching, analyzing, or pasting plain text into other systems. RTF retains some formatting to be opened with a word processor. The tool works best with PDF files that already have a selectable and copyable text layer.

In documents with multiple columns, tables, or text boxes, the extraction order may differ from the reading order on the page because PDF does not always store the semantic structure clearly. This tool does not run OCR automatically. If the file is a scanned document or photo, the results may be empty or contain very little text. Please OCR the PDF first, then extract TXT or RTF and check for recognition errors.

When should you use it?

Extract text for searching

Export TXT from a PDF with a text layer to search for phrases or include in a text processing workflow.

Light content editing

Choose RTF to open content in an editor and retain some basic formatting.

Create reference data

Extract document content into a compact file for cross-checking, classification, or note-taking.

Practical tips

Tips for using PDF to text

Choose TXT for plain data and RTF when you need to keep some basic formatting.
Try selecting text in the PDF. If it can't be selected, the document may require OCR first.
Check the order of paragraphs in multi-column documents, tables, or text boxes.
Check special characters and Vietnamese diacritics after extraction or OCR.
Each job accepts up to 1 files, with a total size limit of 256 MB.

Each job uses a separate anonymous session. Learn how we handle data in our Privacy and Security.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about PDF to text

How are TXT and RTF different?

TXT contains plain text, does not preserve font style, color, tables, or alignment, so the file is compact and easy to use for searching or data processing. RTF can retain some basic formatting and can be opened in many editors. Both formats depend on the text layer and reading order available in the source PDF file.

Why is the exported TXT file empty?

The PDF file may only contain scanned images of pages and have no text layer to extract. The PDF to text tool does not run OCR on its own. Please use PDF OCR first, selecting Vietnamese, English, or both depending on the content. Then, convert the OCR-ed file to TXT or RTF and check for misrecognized characters.

Why is the content in multiple columns out of order?

PDFs can store individual text fragments according to their display position rather than reading order. When extracting, the tool has to infer the order from the internal structure, so content in multiple columns, tables, or text boxes may get line breaks mixed up. RTF is sometimes easier to read, but you still need to cross-check with the original PDF file.

How long are files stored?

Access expires after one hour and cleanup runs every five minutes. Download any results you need before they expire.

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