Skips layout reconstruction and returns plain UTF-8 text — ideal for feeding into scripts, translation tools, grep or an LLM.
In practice: (1) Best for text PDFs; scanned pages return empty until OCR is run. (2) Output preserves reading order, not columns. (3) Handy quick check: if the preview is empty, the PDF is a scan.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the extracted text empty?
The PDF has no text layer — it is a scan. Run OCR PDF first.
Does it preserve tables?
Tables come out as space-separated text lines; use PDF to Word if you need table structure.
Do it in the full tool
Open PDF to Text for all options, or jump straight to another step below.