How to copy text from PDF that cannot be copied?

Microsoft Word offers a built-in PDF conversion feature to address the need to copy text from pdf that cannot be copied. This feature converts PDF files directly into editable Word documents.

How to Fix copy text from pdf that cannot be copied

1. Launch the desktop version of the software, or open Word Online.
2. Click File, select Open, and then choose the target PDF file from your local storage.
3. Wait for Word to convert the PDF into an editable .docx document.
4. Select any text you need from the converted file.
5. Copy the selected text and paste it into your target editor, notes, or document.

Disadvantages

• Not suitable for PDF files generated from scanned documents that contain only images and no selectable text.
• Complex layouts may become distorted after conversion.
• Converting large PDF files takes a long time.
• Encrypted PDF files with copying restrictions sometimes cannot be converted properly.

The PDF conversion method is a fast, built-in solution for editable text PDFs, ideal for users who want to copy text from a PDF but cannot do so without installing additional third-party tools. However, it cannot handle scanned image PDFs that do not have embedded text layers.

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• Only PDF files containing editable text are supported; for image-based PDFs created from scanned documents, you’ll need to use an OCR tool.
• Password-protected PDF files must be unlocked before they can be opened in Word to extract text.
• Save a backup copy of the original PDF beforehand to avoid losing the source file’s formatting after conversion.