Extract Text

Does this work on scanned PDFs?

Only if the scan already has a text layer. This tool reads text that is already embedded in the PDF - it does not read the picture of a page, so a plain scan with no text layer extracts as empty. To turn a scan into text, run it through the OCR PDF tool first: it reads the picture in your browser and can add a text layer or give you a .txt file. OCR reads pixels and can be wrong, so check the result.

What format is the output?

Plain text (.txt). Page breaks are preserved as blank lines between pages; a page with no extractable text is marked inline rather than silently skipped.

Why won't it extract text from some PDFs that open normally?

Some PDFs carry an owner password that forbids copying their content; your viewer usually greys out text selection for them. HerePDF honours that restriction and tells you, rather than extracting the text anyway. If it's your document, re-export it without the restriction; otherwise ask whoever sent it for an unrestricted copy.

Does extraction happen on a server?

No. HerePDF uses PDF.js to read the PDF entirely inside your browser. Your file is never uploaded anywhere.

Will formatting like tables or columns be preserved?

No. Extraction pulls text in the order PDF.js reports it from the content stream, which does not always match visual reading order for multi-column layouts or tables.