Ever been stuck trying to get text out of a PDF? PDF documents are great for keeping formats intact, but when you need to extract or edit text, it feels like hitting a wall.
Here’s something interesting: not all PDFs lock their content. By checking the “Content Copying” value under File > Properties in Acrobat Reader, you can see if copying is allowed.
Our guide cuts through the hassle, showing easy ways to lift text from any PDF document. From using Adobe Acrobat Reader’s handy tools to converting files for editing, we’ve got tricks up our sleeve that’ll make copying feel like a breeze.
How to Copy Text from a PDF with Ease
Copying text from a PDF may seem hard, but it’s pretty simple. You’ll learn fast ways to grab the words you need without stress.
Use Adobe Acrobat Reader’s Select tool
To copy text from a PDF using Adobe Acrobat Reader, first open the document in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. Look for the Select Tool to highlight text you want to copy. If you can’t see this tool right away, right-click on the toolbar and choose it from “more tools”.
Once you highlight your needed text, either press keyboard shortcuts or click the copy icon on the toolbar. Now, your copied text is ready to paste into any application with ease.
For those using Windows and Adobe Acrobat Reader, there’s an option to copy the entire file easily. Just go to “edit” and then select “copy file to clipboard”. Before copying, make sure that copying content is allowed by checking “Content Copying” in File > Properties of your PDF document.
Convert PDF Files to Editable Format
Converting PDF files to editable formats is a game changer. Adobe Acrobat leads the way, using OCR technology. This special tool turns scanned documents into texts you can change. Simply open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat, click “EDIT PDF,” and voila! You’re set to modify text right away.
OCR isn’t just about editing; it also makes pulling text from scans or images easy.
This process ensures your new document looks just like the original—fonts and all, thanks to custom font creation. Once converted, these editable PDFs slide smoothly into workflows with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Use Microsoft Word or Google Docs
Using Microsoft Word or Google Docs makes extracting text from PDFs easy. First, open MS Word and click on “File” in the top menu. Then choose “Open” to find your PDF file. This method is great for simple, text-heavy documents without much complex formatting.
On the other hand, Google Docs lets you upload a PDF to Google Drive and then open it in Docs to extract and copy text. While both methods are user-friendly, keep in mind that formatting might get lost if you’re using Google Docs.
Both platforms provide a smooth process for transferring text from PDF documents into an editable format. However, MS Word tends to handle the task better with simpler layouts where losing original formatting isn’t a concern.
So, depending on how complicated your PDF is or whether keeping the exact format matters, choosing between Word and Google Docs can save you time while ensuring you retrieve the information you need efficiently.
Use AI tools
AI tools have changed how we deal with PDF files. For example, popai.pro uses AI-OCR to pull text from tricky PDFs, even in bulk. It’s smart enough to manage columns, images, and tables thanks to Machine Learning (ML) and Natural Language Processing (NLP).
Also, it syncs with many apps like Gmail and Google Drive. Another cool tool is Sourcely, which digs through over 200 million research papers to summarize them for you. It also sorts references in different styles, making research a breeze.
Imagine using AI not just for heavy-duty tasks but everyday document handling too. With PopAi, scanning and editing PDF texts becomes simple as pie—think of it as your personal ai pdf reader.
Use online converters
Online converters make it easy to work with PDF documents. Sites like Smallpdf, IlovePDF, and PDF2Go can turn your PDF files into editable texts or images. You can change a whole bunch of pages at once.
This is great for when you need text from a PDF to edit or use somewhere else. Plus, these websites also let you change your PDFs into different formats such as JPG, PNG, and TIFF.
For those needing to pull out data or tables from their documents, Microsoft Excel has a handy Get Data feature that grabs information right out of the PDF and places it into a spreadsheet.
That way, you don’t have to enter all that data by hand. And if you’re working in various industries needing document processing and data extraction, Parseur offers OCR software just for this purpose.
Conclusion
These were some easy steps that explained how to copy text from any PDF. Tools like Acrobat Reader and online converters make it easy. Even big files change smoothly into Word or Excel. Ready to try? See how simple your tasks get. Keep exploring ways to handle PDFs better!
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Source: Vietnam Insider