Extract text from PDF

Turn a PDF into a plain UTF-8 text file. Native PDF text is extracted locally; scanned PDFs automatically use bounded English + Spanish OCR when needed.

Drop files here or choose themProcessed locally in your browser when supported.

What this tool actually does

PDF → text creates a new file in the target format; it does not merely rename the extension. MakeFileWork processes the source in the browser where this conversion supports local execution and keeps the job bounded so a single file cannot consume unlimited memory or CPU.

How the result is verified

Before download, the engine re-serializes, reopens, parses or otherwise checks the output according to the format. The result shows concrete evidence such as pages, structure, extracted text or generated format instead of treating any downloadable blob as a successful conversion.

Limits and fidelity

Formats do not represent every feature in the same way. Layout, fonts, animation, formulas, metadata, transparency or interactive elements can change when the destination cannot preserve them. The tool does not promise fidelity that the target format cannot support and calls out known trade-offs.

When to use this workflow

Use this workflow when another application, device or upload portal requires the target format and you need a newly generated, verifiable file. If the rejection also specifies KB/MB, pixel dimensions or other measurable limits, use the upload-requirement workflow to validate those constraints together.

Privacy and final verification

Keep the original file until the output has been reviewed in the destination application or portal. Supported workflows process locally in the browser and enforce bounded size and complexity limits. For PDF → text, verify that the generated format preserves the properties that matter for your use case. For important data, compare a representative sample and confirm that format, content and quality meet the actual requirement before replacing the source file. Also open the generated file in the destination application when compatibility, colour, transparency, layout or compression matters.

What you get

The TXT output keeps page boundaries and is verified after extraction. This is useful for copying, searching, indexing or moving PDF content into another system without manual retyping.

Scanned PDFs

For mixed PDFs, OCR is applied only to pages with too little selectable text; digital pages retain their original extracted text. The TXT keeps page order, including blank pages, and stops rather than silently omitting a scanned page that cannot be recognized. Automatic OCR is limited to 20 MB and 20 PDF pages. The OCR engine and language data may be downloaded when first needed; the document stays in your browser.