pdf to text for journalists →
PDF to Text for journalists
Updated July 2026
Arthize lets journalists and newsrooms extract text from a PDF in a private workspace — free, with no watermark. Converting PDF to text extracts the raw words into a plain .txt file, OCRing scans first, so you can reuse the content anywhere.
Why journalists extract text from a PDF
A journalist OCRs a scanned document dump so it's searchable, extracts key tables into a spreadsheet, and redacts a source's identifying details plus metadata before publishing.
Built for FOIA releases. Whether it's FOIA releases, leaked documents, reports, Arthize's pdf to text keeps the work inside your private workspace. Source protection is paramount; documents must be handled privately and metadata stripped before publishing.
What matters when you extract text from a PDF
Text extraction gives you the raw words without layout.
Scanned PDFs are OCR'd first so the text comes through.
It is the quickest way to reuse PDF content in another tool.
How to extract text from a PDF
- 1
Open the convert tool
Sign in, open Convert and choose Text.
- 2
Add your PDF
Upload the PDF; scans are OCR'd first.
- 3
Convert
Arthize pulls the text into a plain .txt file.
- 4
Download
Get the extracted text ready to paste anywhere.
Common questions
- How do journalists extract text from a PDF for free?
- Converting PDF to text extracts the raw words into a plain .txt file, OCRing scans first, so you can reuse the content anywhere. On Arthize it's free with no watermark, and the file is deleted after the job — which is why journalists and newsrooms can use it for FOIA releases without a confidentiality risk.
- Is it private to extract text from a PDF sensitive FOIA releases?
- Yes. Source protection is paramount; documents must be handled privately and metadata stripped before publishing. Files are processed inside your private Arthize workspace and deleted after the job.
- How do I extract text from a PDF?
- Converting PDF to text extracts the raw words into a plain .txt file, OCRing scans first, so you can reuse the content anywhere. On Arthize it's free with no watermark and processed privately.
- Can I get text out of a scanned PDF?
- Converting PDF to text extracts the raw words into a plain .txt file, OCRing scans first, so you can reuse the content anywhere. On Arthize it's free with no watermark and processed privately.
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