Effortless PDF to Text Conversion

Looking for a PDF to text converter that also works on scanned PDFs? Many tools only copy the text layer stored inside a PDF, so a scan comes back as an empty file. Linnk reads every page image instead and gives you the text in reading order, ready to paste or save as a .txt file. Copying the recognised text is always free.

Output format

Plain textMarkdownSpreadsheet (tables)Searchable PDF

You'll also get Markdown · Word · Searchable PDF

Output language

Drop a document to convert

Accepts scans and photos — PDF, JPG, PNG, HEIC

Free preview · No sign-up to try

Encrypted & private 154 languages & dialects Tables kept as tables Files deleted after 72h

How do you convert a PDF to text, including a scanned PDF?

To convert a PDF to text, a tool has to get at the words on each page. With a digital PDF that part is easy, because the words are stored in the file as a text layer. A scanned PDF has no text layer at all: every page is a picture of text, which is why many converters hand back an empty file for scans. Linnk's AI PDF to text converter doesn't rely on that layer. AI models (Linnk uses ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini models) read each page image, rebuild it as structured text and write it out as plain text in reading order, so a two-column page usually reads down one column and then the next. Copier scans, faxed forms, archive reports and PDFs exported from an app all go through the same way. Numbers, dates, IDs and amounts are copied digit for digit; a digit the models can't read is marked with a question mark, and an unreadable passage is marked [illegible] instead of being guessed. The same run also gives you Markdown and a searchable PDF, and a Word file if you ask for one. Copying the recognised text is always free. A clean, straight, well-lit scan usually reads best; faint or blurred pages may need a quick check.

Scanned or digitalPDFs both work

Reading orderplain text output

Digit for digitnumbers, dates and IDs

Freecopying the recognised text

Last updated: October 2026

How to convert PDF to text

Three steps from PDF to text, whether the file was scanned, faxed or exported from an app.

Upload the PDF

Drop a scanned or digital PDF into the box above. Plain text is already selected, and the output language is set to Keep original. A photo of a page in JPG, PNG, WEBP or HEIC works too; it's read as a one-page scan.

Let Linnk read each page

AI models read every page image and rebuild the text in reading order. It usually takes under a minute per page, often about half a minute on a typical scan, and the page shows an estimate while it works.

Copy the text or download the TXT file

Copy the recognised text for free, or sign in with a free account to download the .txt file. Markdown and a searchable PDF come from the same run, and a Word file can be built on request in a few extra minutes.

What this PDF to text converter does

Made for the PDFs that trip up ordinary text extractors: scans, faxes and multi-column pages.

Scanned PDFs give you text too

Many PDF to text tools only copy the text layer stored inside the file, so a scan with no text layer comes back blank. Linnk reads each page image instead, which means a copier scan, a fax or a PDF from a phone scanning app still gives you words you can copy and search.

Text in reading order

The output follows the order you'd read the page in, not the order the text happens to sit in the file. A two-column article usually reads down the first column and then the second, instead of stitching lines together across the gap.

Digits copied, gaps marked

Invoice totals, case numbers, dates and IDs are copied digit for digit. A digit that can't be read becomes a question mark and an unreadable passage is marked [illegible], so you know exactly which spots to check against the scan.

Keep the language, or translate it

Keep the original language, or translate the text into another language in the same run. By default a Hebrew letter stays in Hebrew and a Japanese report stays in Japanese, right-to-left and CJK scripts included.

Three more formats from one upload

The same conversion gives you Markdown, with headings, lists and tables kept, and a searchable PDF rebuilt as real text with photos and stamps put back in place. A Word file can be built on request, usually in a few extra minutes.

Copying the text is free

If all you need is a paragraph for an email or a quote for a paper, copy it from the result. That's always free. Downloading the .txt file and the other formats needs a free account.

PDF to text conversion facts

What to expect before you convert a PDF to text.

Input

Scanned PDFs: Read page by page
Digital PDFs: Read the same way
Photos of pages: JPG, PNG, WEBP, HEIC, HEIF
Word, PowerPoint, Excel: Not accepted; they already hold text

Output

Plain text: In reading order
Markdown and searchable PDF: From the same run
Word (DOCX): Built on request
Typical speed: Usually under a minute per page

Accuracy

Numbers, dates and IDs: Copied digit for digit
Unreadable digits or passages: Marked ? or [illegible], not guessed
Scripts: Most widely used, incl. Arabic, Hebrew, CJK
Best results: Clean, straight, well-lit scans

Access

Preview: Free, no account
Copy the text: Always free
Download: Free account
Longer documents: Paid plans, see linnk.ai/pricing

PDF to text options compared

How Linnk compares with the usual ways of getting the words out of a PDF.

Feature	Linnk PDF to Text	Copy and paste from a PDF reader	Online PDF to TXT converters	Desktop PDF editors with OCR
Scanned PDF with no text layer	Reads the page images and returns text	Nothing to select	Often an empty or near-empty file	Works after an OCR step
Clean digital PDF	Read the same way as a scan	Works, page by page	Quick and usually accurate	Export to text
Two-column pages	Text in reading order	Lines can run across columns	Varies	Varies
Unreadable digits	Marked with a question mark	Copies whatever the file holds	Copies the text layer as is	Varies by app
Output language	Kept, or translated in the same run	Kept	Kept	Kept
Other formats from the same upload	Markdown, searchable PDF, Word on request	None	Varies by site	Word, PDF and more, depending on the app
Cost	Free preview, free text copy; downloads with a free account	Free	Often free	Often a paid licence

Comparison as of September 2026. Other tools vary and change often; check each one for its current features.

Who uses a PDF to text converter

People who need the words in a PDF, not the PDF itself.

Students and researchers

Pull quotes and passages from scanned journal articles, book chapters and archive reports into notes, without retyping them from the page.

Paralegals and legal assistants

Turn a scanned contract or court filing into plain text so clauses can be searched and pasted into a draft, then checked against the signed original.

Developers and data teams

Feed text from scanned and digital PDFs into search indexes, scripts or language models. Unreadable spots are marked, so they're easy to filter out or send for review.

Office and admin staff

Take the text out of faxed forms, letters and supplier documents and paste it into an email, a ticket or a database field.

Archivists and family historians

Transcribe typed records, old newsletters and printed reports into text you can search, while the scans stay the reference copy.

Teams working across languages

Get the text of Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese or Korean PDFs in its own script, ready to file, search or hand to a translator.

PDF to text FAQ

How do I convert a PDF to text?

Upload the PDF, scanned or digital, and leave Plain text selected. Linnk reads every page and returns the text in reading order; copy it for free, or download a .txt file with a free account. For a scan, a straight, evenly lit copy usually gives the cleanest PDF to text result.

Why does my PDF to text converter give me a blank file?

Your PDF is probably a scan. Many converters copy the text layer stored inside the PDF, and a scanned page doesn't have one: it's a picture of text. Linnk reads the page image itself, so scans give you text as well.

How can I tell whether my PDF is scanned?

Open it and try to select a single word. If individual words highlight, the file has a text layer. If nothing highlights, or the whole page highlights as one block, it's a scan. Either kind works here.

How accurate is scanned PDF to text conversion?

It's usually accurate on clean scans. Numbers, IDs, dates and amounts are copied digit for digit, an unreadable digit is marked with a question mark, and an unreadable passage is marked [illegible] rather than guessed. Faint, curled or blurred pages may need a quick review, so look over anything that's been marked before you rely on it.

Should I choose plain text or Markdown?

Plain text gives you the words in reading order and nothing else, which suits searching, pasting and scripts. Markdown also keeps headings, lists and tables, with tables written as Markdown tables. Both come from the same run, so you don't have to decide before you upload.

Which files can I upload?

PDFs, scanned or digital, plus JPG, PNG, WEBP, HEIC and HEIF images; each image is read as a one-page scan. Word, PowerPoint and Excel files aren't accepted here because they already contain their text. If you're starting from photos rather than PDFs, the Scanned Image to Text tool is set up for that.

Which languages can it read, and will the text be translated?

It reads the most widely used languages and scripts, including right-to-left Arabic and Hebrew as well as Chinese, Japanese and Korean. The output language is set to Keep original, so the text stays as written; switch it to Translate to… before you start if you'd rather have it in another language.

How long does it take?

Usually under a minute per page, and around half a minute for a typical scan. The page shows an estimate in minutes while it works. A Word file takes a few extra minutes because it's built after the conversion, and only when you ask for it.

Is this PDF to text converter free?

The preview is free without an account, and copying the recognised text is always free. Downloading the .txt file and the other formats needs a free account.

Can I convert a long PDF to text?

Yes. The first pages of a document are converted for free, and longer documents are covered by the paid plans. See linnk.ai/pricing for the current options.

Why use Linnk instead of a free PDF to TXT site?

For a clean digital PDF, a free PDF to TXT site often does the job. Linnk is for when it doesn't: scans with no text layer, two-column pages whose lines can come out scrambled, and documents where you want unreadable numbers flagged instead of guessed. You also get Markdown and a searchable PDF from the same upload.

Are my PDFs kept after the conversion?

Not for long. Files travel over an encrypted connection, and converted files are deleted automatically after 72 hours; the result page says so. For highly sensitive documents, check your organisation's rules before using any online tool.

Convert your PDF to text

Drop a scanned or digital PDF, check the text, and copy it for free.

Convert PDF to text View pricing