ConvertOwl

PDF to Text — Extract Text Privately in Your Browser

Pull the selectable text out of a PDF and save it as a plain .txt file in seconds. Everything runs locally in your browser — your document is never uploaded to a server, so even confidential contracts and reports stay entirely on your device. This tool reads existing text layers; it does not perform OCR, so scanned pages with no embedded text will come out blank.

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How to use this tool

  1. Add your PDF file

    Drag a PDF onto the drop area, or click to browse. Files up to 100 MB are supported.

  2. Extract the text

    Click Extract Text. Your browser reads the selectable text from every page locally.

  3. Download the .txt file

    Save the plain text file to your device — nothing is sent anywhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my PDF uploaded to a server when I extract text?

No. ConvertOwl extracts text entirely in your browser using WebAssembly and JavaScript. Your PDF never travels over the network and never touches our servers — which is why this works even with sensitive documents.

Does this tool work on scanned PDFs?

No, this is not OCR. It only extracts text that already exists as selectable text in the PDF. Scanned pages that are just images with no embedded text layer will come out blank.

Will the formatting of my document be preserved?

No. The output is plain text — one line per line of text detected on the page. Fonts, colors, tables, and layout are not preserved, since a .txt file cannot contain any formatting.

Is there a limit on file size?

PDFs up to 100 MB are supported. The practical limit is your device's available memory, since the whole file is processed in the browser.

Can I extract text from a password-protected PDF?

You'll need to unlock it first. Use ConvertOwl's Unlock PDF tool with the correct password, then extract text from the unlocked file.

Does the extracted text file get a watermark?

Never. ConvertOwl adds no watermarks or promotional content to your output, and the tool is completely free with no sign-up required.

Something not working? Report a bug