STEP 01
Upload your file
Drag and drop your audio, video, PDF, or image file. We support files up to 5GB.
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Extract Text from Any PDF
Upload a PDF — even a scanned one — and get editable text in seconds, ready to copy, search, or export. Free to try, no signup.
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How do I extract text from a PDF?
Upload your PDF to 1Transcribe — including scanned, image-based PDFs — and its OCR extracts the text into editable, copyable output in seconds. You can then search it, edit it, or export it to Word or plain text. It reads many languages and is free to try with no signup.
What is PDF OCR?
Many PDFs — especially scans and exports from images — contain text you can't select or search, because it's stored as a picture. OCR (optical character recognition) detects that text and turns it into real, editable characters. 1Transcribe does this automatically when you upload the file.
How to convert a PDF to text
Three steps:
- Upload your PDF — scanned or digital.
- 1Transcribe extracts the text with OCR.
- Copy or export the result to edit and search it.
Scanned and image-based PDFs
The hard case for most tools is a scanned PDF — a photo of a page saved as a PDF. 1Transcribe's OCR reads those too, so contracts, forms, receipts, and old documents become editable text instead of flat images.
PDF to text at a glance
| Input | PDF — scanned or digital |
|---|---|
| Reads | Image-based and scanned pages (OCR) |
| Languages | Many, with automatic detection |
| Output | Editable, copyable text |
| Free | Free to try, no signup |
| Also available | Image OCR and audio/video transcription |
What people use PDF OCR for
Students & researchers
Pull quotable, searchable text out of scanned papers and book chapters.
Legal & admin
Turn scanned contracts and forms into editable, searchable text.
Business
Extract text from invoices, receipts, and reports for records and search.
Accessibility
Make a scanned document's text readable and selectable.
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Everything you need for perfect transcriptions, built for heavy users.
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Massive File Support
Upload files up to 10 hours long and 5GB in size. Perfect for long interviews, lectures, and court proceedings.
Smart Speaker Identification
Automatically detects and labels different speakers (Diarization), making your transcripts easy to read and edit.
99+ Languages Supported
From English to Spanish, French, Chinese, and more. We automatically detect the language for you.
All Media Formats
Transcribe Audio (MP3, WAV, M4A...), Video (MP4, MOV...), and extract text from PDFs and Images.
100% Secure & Private
Your files are yours alone. We don't use them for AI training, and they are automatically deleted after 14 days.
How to Convert PDF to Text in Three Steps
Get your transcript ready in minutes by following these three simple steps
STEP 02
AI Transcription
Our AI analyzes your file with 99.9% accuracy, identifying speakers and timestamps automatically.
STEP 03
Download & Export
Review your transcript and export it instantly in DOCX, PDF, SRT, or TXT formats.
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- Export in all formats (SRT included)
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- Export in all formats (SRT included)
- AI Summaries & Quizzes
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Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about 1Transcribe.
Can I convert a scanned PDF to text?
Yes. 1Transcribe's OCR reads scanned, image-based PDFs and extracts the text into editable output — not just digital PDFs that already have selectable text.
Is PDF to text free?
Yes — you can extract text from a PDF to try it with no signup. Sign in to save your work and handle larger documents.
Does it read other languages?
Yes. The OCR reads many languages and detects the language automatically.
What can I do with the extracted text?
Copy it, edit it, search it, or export it to Word or plain text.
Can I also extract text from an image?
Yes. Use Image OCR for photos and screenshots to pull out text the same way.
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