Knowing how to extract text from PDF can be helpful in multiple scenarios. For example, you may want to utilize some part of a PDF document as a reference in your work. Since the requirements differ, the situation with the PDF document may also differ, where you may get a PDF with scanned images or security. So, in this guide, we will discuss the 5 effective ways to extract text that will meet all your requirements.
Part 1. Extract Text from PDF Via Copying and Pasting
For this article, we will be using UPDF since it is a complete PDF editing suite and offers all the features you need. Moreover, it makes it possible to extract text from your PDF files in several ways apart from directly copying text, which is discussed in the next methods. However, if you want to use the copy-paste method specifically, you may use this part as a guide.
Before you begin, it is essential to download UPDF on your PC. You can also purchase UPDF pro with 58% OFF here. After you download it on your PC, here are the steps to follow.
1. Open PDF document in your UPDF app
The process will begin with opening your PDF in the UPDF app on your PC. Since this is the most basic and common use case, you don't need to go out of the reader mode that automatically opens when your PDF document is opened in UPDF by double-clicking its file icon.
2. Select text with the cursor and use copy bottom.
Click the cursor on the point from where you want to start copying the text. Drag over the text and release the click when all the desired text is selected. As you release the click, you will see a small menu appear on the screen. On the right, there will be a "Copy Text" button. You can click it and then paste the text anywhere in any other document or program by using "Ctrl + V" key combo.
Part 2. Extract Text from PDF Image and Scanned PDF Via OCR
Sometimes, you have an image of a text in a PDF, while sometimes, there is a scanned document present in PDF format. In this case, the previous method will not work, but UPDF has a solution for that too. You can use the OCR feature that makes text in graphic form editable, so here are the steps to follow:
1. Open scanned PDF in UPDF and apply OCR feature
Scanned PDF documents or images in PDF containing text do not allow users to copy directly. So, when you open your file in UPDF, you cannot copy it, and that's where you need to use OCR feature. Click "OCR" from the right side. If your document is in English language, you may leave the rest of the settings to default and select "Perform OCR". You will need to select the folder where the OCRed file will be saved, and once you select it, UPDF will start performing OCR.
2. Select text with cursor and copy.
Wait as the tool performs OCR since when the process is complete, the OCRed file will automatically save in the selected destination and open on the UPDF tool. Once it opens, you can note a difference in the text. The biggest difference is that now you can select the text using your cursor and copy it with "Copy Text" button.
Part 3. Extract All Text from PDF Via Converting
Manually copying the text from a PDF document is only efficient if you want to copy a small piece of text. If you must copy the whole document or a lot of it, manual copying will not be an efficient choice. In this case, you must convert the document into text or Word format and then use that document with all the text extracted. This process is very straightforward with UPDF with the following steps:
1. Open the PDF file in UPDF.
Double-click the UPDF software desktop icon, and it will run on your PC. Now click "Open File" button to select a PDF file and open it. Since you want to extract the whole content, you don't need to manually select the text and copy it.
2. Export PDF to Word or Text
Locate the "Export PDF" option from the right side and click it. You will get multiple file formats to export this PDF document to. Select Word or Text depending on your use case, and this way, you can extract all the text from a PDF document by using the exporting option and converting the PDF into another file. After you select the format to export PDF, click on "Export" and then follow through the on-screen file saving steps.
Part 4. Batch Extract Text from PDF Via Batch Converting
Sometimes, you need to extract all text from multiple documents, and that can be very time-consuming. With UPDF, the process gets smart, and it takes much less time. Thanks to the Batch Converting feature of UPDF, which shortens the process by directly converting a batch of PDF documents into TXT or Word formats. This method of extracting text takes a very short time, considering the number of files converted in one go, and here are the steps you must follow:
1. Open UPDF and select the Batch feature, then select Convert
Instead of opening a file directly, we need to open UPDF first with its desktop icon. Then we will click "Batch" button instead of opening file. The batch option has 5 further features inside, and since we need to convert PDF into other formats for extracting text, we will use the "Convert" option.
2. Extract text from multiple PDF files by converting to Word or Text.
Now, you can use the "Add Files" button and select as many PDF files as you want to extract their text in one go. Once you are done selecting all the files, select the output format. The final step in this process will be clicking "Apply" and selecting the destination folder for saving those files. Once the process finishes, all PDF files will be converted to the selected output format.
Part 5. Extract Text from Locked PDF Via Removing Security
PDF documents come with 2 types of security. The first one is access security, where you cannot open a PDF document without its password. The second one is permission security, where you may be restricted from copying, editing, or printing the document. In either of the cases, you need to have the password for the document to access it.
However, if the document opens without a password and has a password for copying, it can be frustrating. So it is better to remove all password from PDF so that you can copy text from the PDF. UPDF can help you with removing security using the given password by using the following steps:
1. Select Remove Security from Password Protect Features
Open the PDF file in UPDF and click "Protect using password" from right side. It will give you 4 options where you need to select "Remove Security". You need to authenticate with the password to proceed, and when the password is removed, you need to save the file.
2. Select text and copy with cursor
The rest of the text-extracting process will be the same, where you select the text by clicking and dragging the cursor over it and then clicking the "Copy Text" button.
Part 6. FAQS About Extracting Text from PDF
Q1. How to Extract Text from PDF Online?
To extract text from PDF online, you can use Google Docs
1. Upload PDF to Google Drive.
2. Open PDF from Drive with Google Docs
3. The text is extracted
Q2. How to Extract Text from PDF With Bluebeam?
Open Bluebeam and follow the steps below:
1. Open PDF in Bluebeam, click and drag cursor over the text to select
2. Hit "Control and C" key combination
Q3. How to Extract Text from PDF With Acrobat?
Open PDF in Acrobat and follow the steps:
1. Choose Edit from top
2. Select the text with cursor
3. Press "Ctrl + C"
Ending Note
There could be several reasons why you need to extract text from PDF, but whatever the reason is, you must use the most efficient method for it. Using UPDF is a great choice for extracting text from PDF documents since it has 5 ways to help you extract text from your documents. So, download UPDF from its official website, purchase UPDF to unlock Pro features and start extracting text right now.
