PDF (Portable Document Format) is one the most preferred file types around digital file distribution. You can find that it is packed with preserving layouts, retaining formatting, and unparalleled integrity capabilities for various platforms. But, what if you want to extract text from pdf for further analysis or editing concerns?

No doubt manual retyping of the embedded text is indicated as the time taking process and even prone to errors. This is where pdf to text converter by cardscanner.co an official OCR-based source helps to convert and extract text from existing PDFs for free without involving any human intervention. Also, in this context, we are showing you different converters that work efficiently to turn PDF into editable text format while preserving the formatting.

These conversion tools are capable of bridging the gap, transforming PDFs into actionable plain text files. This empowers you to:

• Extract valuable information: readily access textual data from PDFs of reports, contracts, or any scanned documents for the ease of further editing, analysis, or integration into several compatible applications.
• Boost searchability: transforming PDFs into searchable text files makes it quite easier to locate the specific data stored within the document using search functions. 
• Improve accessibility: export PDF as a format that is compatible with screen-reading software, this enhances the accessibility for individuals with visual impairments. 
• Simplify workflows: The PDF to text converter is capable of eliminating the need for manual retyping, it will streamline the processes that indulge the text extraction process from PDFs.

This informative blog section will equip you to unlock the hidden text within your PDFs as it comes with some full-fledged PDF to text converters. Also, we are showing you the step-by-step processes for each tool, allowing you to proceed with the ideal tool to your preferences.

Top 10 PDF to Text Converters with Step-by-Step Guides:

Microsoft OneNote (Free with Microsoft 365 Subscription):

When it comes to occasional conversion, OneNote is revealed as a convenient option. However, it offers limited formatting preservation. 

• Step 1: first of all, you need to access “open” the MS OneNote application on your device.
• Step 2: Then, clicking on the given “Insert” tab and choosing the “Print Screen” or “Picture” allow you to choose your PDF file. (remember that you only have a single-page view of the relevant PDF section)
• Step 3: right after that, just right-click on the recently inserted PDF image and make a selection of the option i:e “Copy Text from Picture.”
• Step 4: Now, it’s time to create a new text file (notepad) or simply navigate with an existing one.
• Step 5: in this step, you need to paste the recently copied text into your created text file. (this is where the formatting “layout” will likely be minimal)

Google Docs with “Get Text from Image” (Free with Google Account):

It is another convenient solution that helps in converting PDF to text format, let find out how:

• Step 1: Navigate to the “https://www.google.com/docs/about/” and start creating a new Google Doc.
• Step 2: Then, make a click on the “Insert” tab and then “Drawing.”
• Step 3: very next, upload (import) your PDF into the designated drawing window. 
• Step 4: just click on the given “Save and Close” tab to insert the image into your Doc.
• Step 5: Now, you ought to right-click on the image and choose “Copy Text from Image. option”
• Step 6: Finally, just paste the newly copied text into a new/existing text file. 

Free Online Converters:

These are online PDF to Text converters that are loaded with simple UI and typically have free plans along with some limitations:

Card Scanner:

• Step 1: Visit the online source “cardscanner.co” and type pdf to text converter into the search bar.
• Step 2: Click “Choose File” or simply drag and drop the PDFs into the designated tool section.
• Step 3: Click “Convert.”
• Step 5: Download the converted text into text, doc, or other desired format.

Free Online OCR:

• Step 1: make an instant visit to this Free Online OCR website.
• Step 2: just click on the given “Choose File” button and start selecting your PDF document.
• Step 3: it’s time to choose the desired output language (if required).
• Step 4: Click “Convert.”
• Step 5: Download/Save the converted text file (TXT format).

Theonlineconverter:

• Step 1: Move to the theonlineconverter.com official website.
• Step 2: Hit the given “Select File” button and select your PDF.
• Step 3: Click “Convert PDF To TEXT.”
• Step 4: Save or download the newly created text file (TXT format).

NewOCR:

• Step 1: fetch the official source of NewOCR.
• Step 2: Make a click on the given specific OCR tool that you require (e.g., “PDF to Text”).
• Step 3: Just click on the provided “Choose File” and choose the PDF that you want to convert.
• Step 4: very next, you ought to select the desired output language (if required).
• Step 5: Click “Convert.”
• Step 6: Download the newly transformed text file (TXT format). (Free plan packed with limited daily file conversions)

Nanonets:

• Step 1: First, you have to create a free Nanonets account or simply log in to your already created account.
• Step 2: click on the given “New Project” button and select “Document understanding.”
• Step 3: right after that, start by uploading your PDF file(s) or select and drop them into the given uploading area.
• Step 4: Now, choose “Text” as the data type that you wish to extract.
• Step 5: Click on the “Train” option if it’s your first time navigating withNanonets. This is where you might be required to label a sample PDF to improve accuracy. (Free plan of nano nets offers limited training)
• Step 6: Once trained, just click on the “Run model” button for processing your PDF(s).
• Step 7: Now, it’s time to review the newly extracted textual data. This website assists in correcting errors before export.
• Step 8: Make a selection for the “Export” option and choose the “Text” (TXT) or “Rich Text” (RTF) as the converted format. (Pro plans provide you with more export options)
• Step 9: Download or save the converted text file.

Soda PDF:

• Step 1: to start, you have to create a free Soda PDF account or sign in with an already created account.
• Step 2: click on the given “All Tools” option and choose “PDF to Text.”
• Step 3: Hit the provided “Choose File” and add your PDF.
• Step 4: (Optional) Under the given “Settings,” you have to adjust the OCR language that assists in improving accuracy.
• Step 5: Click “Convert.”
• Step 6: Download the newly transformed text file (TXT format). (Free files only offer limited file transformation per month)

Desktop Software Solutions:

We are going to list down a few paid desktop applications that come with advanced features and even let you process conversions offline:

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC:

• Step 1: To start, launch the Adobe Acrobat Pro DC application onto your device.
• Step 2: Make a click on the given “File” option and hit “Open” to choose your PDF.
• Step 3: Navigate to the given “Export To” menu and choose the “Text (.txt)s.”
• Step 4: (Optional) In the given “Export Text” settings, it lets you adjust the format (DOS, Unix, etc.) and make a selection to recognize page breaks.
• Step 5: finally hit the “Export.” This software will let you transform your PDF and create a text file.

ABBYY FineReader PDF:

• Step 1: Install and open the ABBYY FineReader PDF application onto your specific device.
• Step 2: Hit the “File” button and then simply click “Open” to select PDF.
• Step 3: In the provided “Document” tab, select the “Save as” option and choose “Text Document

Conclusion:

PDF to Text converters are valuable assets that help you unlock the textual information embedded within PDFs. By understanding the above-mentioned conversion processes, you can be able to make informed decisions regarding text extraction from PDFs.