Convert PDF to TXT Online for Free: Extract Text from Your PDFs Easily

PDFs are great for preserving the layout of a document. However, they quickly become frustrating when one needs to copy or edit the text. It could be a locked-down document or formatting that changes when the user pastes it elsewhere. Sometimes, it’s being unable to extract specific data from the PDF file. 

The point is it’s hard to extract text that’s clean and usable from the PDF. This is especially true for students, professionals, researchers, and writers who deal with large volumes of information. 

But there’s a way out - a reliable PDF to TXT converter. 

With our free software, users can instantly convert PDF to plain text format. This will make it easy for them to repurpose the content, search through data, or edit the text easily. There are no downloads needed to make it work, sign-ups or formatting headaches. It’s just fast and secure text extraction. 

This page will show readers everything they need to know about using our free pdf to text converter.

Why Would You Need to Convert PDF to Text?

The user has a lot of upsides to gain when they convert PDF to text online.

Benefits of Converting PDF to Plain Text Format

• Simplicity: The conversion of PDF files to text strips away the complex formatting and leaves the user with the raw content. This makes the content easier to handle.
• Editability: Unlike PDFs, one can open and edit documents in TXT file formats on any text editor without needing specialized software.
• Smaller file size: TXT files are smaller in size than PDFs which means more storage space and faster file sharing.
• Universal compatibility: When a user converts a PDF to simple text, they can access it on virtually any device or operating system.
• Data extraction: PDF to text conversion makes it easier for the user to get the information they need. They can then parse it for analysis, automation, or integration with other systems.
• Searchability: The user can easily index or search with built-in tools on text files.
• Improved accessibility: Screen readers or assistive technologies work better on plain text files than PDFs.

Common Use Cases for PDF to TXT Conversion

The user may need to extract text from a PDF file in the following scenarios:

• Repurposing content for marketing & blogs: Marketing teams may receive press releases or whitepapers as PDFs. They will need to convert them into an editable text file for faster repurposing to blogs, email newsletters, or social media copy.
• Legal document analysis: Law firms and paralegals may need to convert court documents or case files in PDFs to plain text. By converting them, they become easier to use in contract comparisons, keyword searches, or document review platforms.
• Accessibility for blind users: The conversion of PDF to text format makes it easier for visually impaired users who depend on screen readers.
• Automation in Programming & Data Processing: Developers or data analysts convert PDF files to txt to feed into scripts, NLP tools, or automation pipelines. This makes it easier to parse logs, invoices, or reports.

What is a TXT File?

Definition and Basic Properties of TXT Files

A TXT file is a plain text document that contains unformatted information. It’s popular for its simplicity and ease of use across all platforms. TXT files use standard character encoding such as ASCII or UTF-8. The user can open this document format with any basic text editor or command-line tools, making them accessible to everyone.

Differences Between PDF and TXT Formats

Advantages of TXT for Different Use Cases

1. It's ideal for scripting and coding where structured and unformatted text is needed.
2. It’s perfect for editing text without formatting issues or design interference.
3. TXT is compatible with screen readers for accessibility.
4. It feeds easily into machine learning pipelines, APIs, and scripts, supporting automation.
5. Its light weight makes it ideal for very fast file-sharing or processing large data sets.

How to Convert PDF to TXT Online Without Losing Formatting?

Step-by-Step Guide to Online PDF to TXT Conversion

The user should follow the steps below to convert PDF to TXT for free:

• Upload the PDF file you want to convert by clicking on the ‘Choose File’ button or using the drag-and-drop feature.
• Once the file has uploaded, click on “Convert” to start the process.
• When the document has been processed, download the new TXT file.

Benefits of using our PDF to Text Converter

1. Instant Conversions: The user will get their TXT file in seconds. There will be no need to wait around.
2. No Sign-Up Requirements: One can use our free online PDF converter without creating an account
3. High Accuracy: Our free online converter will maintain the integrity of the text with minimal loss in formatting.
4. Mobile-Friendly: Our online tool works on smartphones and tablets just as well as it does on desktops and PCs.
5. Unlimited Usage: The user has no limit on the PDF files they can convert to txt using our software
6. Complete Privacy: PDF-File.com doesn’t store or share the data it processes.
7. Free of charge: Our online file conversion service is free to use.

Tips for Maintaining Text Structure During Conversion

Users can convert PDF to text format while maintaining the content structure by doing any of the following:

• Check if the document structure aligns after conversion, especially for lists or tables.
• Keep PDF files simple because documents with fewer design elements convert better.
• Test run the process with a sample PDF before converting bulk files to get consistent results.
• Review the TXT file after conversion to make small manual adjustments if necessary.
• Avoid highly graphical PDFs where the text is embedded in images. They’re a nightmare to convert.

What Features Should You Look for in a Free PDF to TXT Converter?

To get the best software that will convert PDF to TXT, look out for the following features:

• OCR support: The online converter should be able to accurately get text from scanned documents or images.
• Drag-and-drop function: The tool should enable the user to drag and drop the file. This makes it easy to select the PDF file they want to convert.
• Large file support: The PDF to TXT converter should be able to process heavy, multi-page PDFs without crashing.
• Preview: The software should allow the user to preview the new document format before downloading the file.
• Fast processing: The tool should be able to convert PDFs to text as quickly as possible, even with high-resolution files.
• Works on different platforms: It should be a converter that works on any device, browser, or operating system.
• Privacy or security: It should protect the user’s files by not storing or sharing them.
• No watermarks or ads: The downloads should be clean with no pop-ups or watermarks on the documents.

Essential Tools for Effective PDF to Text Conversion

Comparing Different Online PDF to TXT Converters

Can OCR Technology Improve PDF to TXT Conversion Results?

It’s important to know how OCR technology works to answer this question properly.

Understanding OCR in PDF to Text Conversion

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is a technology that identifies and extracts text from images or scanned documents. In this context, OCR is essential when the PDF file contains non-selectable text in image-based documents, photos, or scanned pages. 

It analyses visual data and converts those images to searchable and editable text. For example, OCR can pull data from scanned handwritten notes, digitized contracts, or old book scans.

When to Use OCR for Converting PDF to TXT

• When one wants to convert old printed books or archives that have been digitised.
• When the user wants to extract text from invoices, receipts, or handwritten forms.
• When one wants to process forms or reports saved as images instead of digital text.
• When the user is handling PDFs without text that can be highlighted or selected.
• When one wants to digitize faxed documents or receipts for text analysis or storage.

How to Handle Large PDF Files When Converting to TXT Format?

Strategies for Converting Multi-Page PDFs to TXT

It is tricky to convert large PDF files to text format, especially if the tool isn’t built for the task. One effective way to convert a PDF of this size is by dividing into smaller chunks. It will make the conversion process faster and more manageable. 

Another strategy is to compress the file slightly. This will reduce load times without compromising the quality of the document. Finally, the user can opt for batch processing PDF tools to get the job done in no time. 

Our PDF software is perfectly capable of handling multiple large files without crashing, lagging, or page limits.

Dealing with File Size Limitations in Online Converters

Most free online PDF to TXT converters impose file size limits, most of them ranging between 50 and 200 MB. It may suit students, but it’s a major limitation for users who deal with large volumes of documents. 

With our software, the user doesn’t have to deal with this setback. They can convert everything from bulk document archives to books without worrying about restrictions. 

We also recommend using cloud storage options like Google Drive and parallel conversions (multiple tabs) for added efficiency.

What Are the Limitations of Converting PDF to TXT?

Common Challenges in PDF to Text Conversion

• Inconsistent text formatting: Spacing, bold, italics, and font styles are usually stripped during conversion. Tables and charts often appear as plain text.
• Missing images: TXT files only contain text and do not support embedded images or graphics
• Multilingual text errors: Some online converters are not capable of converting non-English characters without proper encoding
• Scanned PDFs: Scanned documents may become blank or unreadable text when converted if OCR isn’t used.

These challenges are inherent to the TXT file formats, but our software will minimize these setbacks for the user.

When to Consider Alternative File Formats

The user should consider other file formats if it’s important they preserve the PDF’s visual design, structure, and formatting. This is especially true for resumes, brochures, or documents with images/tables. 

Instead of TXT, they can convert the PDF to RTF, HTML, or DOCX. That’s because these document formats maintain layout, support rich text, and allow editing.

What Are the Limitations of Converting PDF to TXT?

Issues with Special Characters and Formatting

TXT format depends heavily on character encoding standards such as UTF-8 or ANSI. So if a PDF file has special symbols, non-Latin scripts or accented characters, incorrect encoding will result in garbled text. 

Custom fonts or embedded characters are also elements that may not render correctly in TXT format. However, choosing the right encoding during conversion resolves many of these issues and that’s something our software excels in.

Handling Protected or Encrypted PDFs

Protected or encrypted documents are often locked with a password to restrict editing, copying, or even opening the file. If a user needs to convert such PDF to TXT, they should follow these steps:

How to Ensure Data Privacy When Using Online PDF to TXT Converters?

Security Considerations for Online File Conversion

• The user should be cautious when uploading sensitive documents like contracts, IDs, or financial data.
• One should make sure the tool automatically deletes files after a short period (e.g., within an hour).
• The user should look for tools with a zero-access policy, meaning they don’t view or analyze your content.
• One should check if the site is free of tracking scripts or third-party ads.
• One should avoid reusing their file on multiple platforms if they’re unsure about its security.
• The user should read the Privacy Policy. If it’s vague, move on.
• One should only trust platforms that put data protection and user control first.

Choosing Secure PDF to TXT Conversion Tools

There are certain factors a user must consider before choosing a PDF to text converter for their needs.

No Sign Up Requirements

It’s a huge selling point for the tool if users aren’t mandated to sign up or provide personal information. A converter that requires one’s email address to download a file is a big no.

A Clearly Stated Policy on File Deletion

One’s choice of a converter should be one that automatically deletes an uploaded and processed file after a short period. The time window can be anywhere between 15 minutes to 24 hours. Anything beyond that will keep your files on servers for longer than is necessary. As a bonus tip, we recommend using a converter that uses browser-based processing. That’s because it will never upload your file to a remote server.

End-to-End Encryption

The user should go for a tool that uses HTTPS to secure their documents during uploads and downloads. Some converters even take security a notch further by encrypting the content.

Clear Policies on Data Collection or Scanning

One should choose tools that clearly state they don’t view, store, share, or analyze your data. In the same vein, one should avoid converters that use your document to “improve their services” or for advertising purposes.

A Transparent Privacy Policy

A reliable PDF to TXT converter should have a clearly written privacy policy that outlines their data handling practices. If the policy is non-existent, vague, or hard to understand, that’s a red flag.

Compliance with Data Protection Regulations

The software must comply with privacy laws such as GDPR (EU), CCPA (California), or PIPEDA (Canada). It’s important for the user to check this because compliance indicates that the tool is accountable for protecting their data.

Sterling Reputation and Verified Reviews

It’s safer to go for converters that are recommended by tech blogs or user communities. One can also check trusted third-party review platforms like Trustpilot for more insights on the tool’s reliability, quality, and security. 

Our free online PDF to TXT converter ticks all the boxes, making it the perfect choice for a secure conversion.

FAQ

Will my PDF's formatting be preserved in the TXT file?

The formatting won’t be preserved entirely. Things like bold, italics, font style, and spacing will not be intact. However, the document may retain its paragraph spacing and line breaks.

Can I convert multiple PDFs to TXT files at once?

Yes, our tool supports batch conversion. So the user can upload multiple PDF files and simply convert them into TXT format with a few clicks.

What happens to images, charts, and tables during conversion?

The user may lose these elements because TXT format only extracts and preserves text. We recommend converting the PDF to other file formats if you want to keep the images, charts, and tables.

Will the tool work with PDFs in languages other than English?

Yes, our PDF to TXT converter works well with multilingual PDFs. It can extract clean and usable text from various languages depending on the clarity and encoding of the document.

Can I convert specific pages of a PDF rather than the entire document?

Yes, our tool enables the user to select the PDF pages you want to convert to txt formats. It’s perfect for those who only want a portion of a large document.

Does the tool work on mobile devices?

Yes, of course. You can use our free online PDF converter on any mobile device, such as iOS or Android smartphones and tablets.

Will hyperlinks in my PDF be preserved in the TXT version?

The hyperlinks will become plain-text URLs and they won’t retain their clickability. If the document contains hyperlinks, it will be best to convert it to other file formats.