Convert PDF to Plain Text Online
Step-by-step: Convert PDF to Plain Text Online. Upload to RatPDF PDF to Text, extract, download .txt — free and secure.
Quick steps
- Diagnose — Check if text is selectable in a PDF viewer.
- OCR if needed — Run OCR PDF for scanned documents.
- Extract — Upload to PDF to Text and download .txt.
- Verify — Spot-check numbers and names in the output.
Follow this workflow for Convert PDF to Plain Text Online. RatPDF's PDF to Text tool exports plain text for editing, search, and automation — no desktop software required.
Digital vs scanned PDFs
Digital PDFs (exported from Word, Google Docs, LaTeX) contain real text — extraction is fast.
Scanned PDFs are photos of pages — run OCR PDF first, then extract.
Common use cases
- Visa & government forms — copy instructions into checklists
- Job applications — pull requirements from PDF job posts
- Banking uploads — verify numbers before retyping into portals
Quick workflow
- Open PDF to Text.
- Upload your PDF.
- If the PDF is scanned, run OCR PDF first.
- Download the .txt file or copy the output.
Frequently Asked Questions
Download .txt and use in your scripts — batch API is not on free tier.
Output is UTF-8 plain text.
Do not upload confidential files you cannot send to a processor.
No — works entirely in the browser.