Use text export when you want the recognized wording from a multi-page PDF in one text file. Keep the PDF when layout and appearance matter.

Export the document’s text

  1. Open the document and check its page order and orientation.
  2. Tap the top-right share button.
  3. Choose Export text (TXT).
  4. Wait for recognition to finish and the share sheet to appear.
  5. Save or share the text file, then proofread it against the PDF.

For just one page, select that page and use Copy text instead.

What to expect

The text file does not preserve the PDF’s fonts, images, signatures, or exact layout. Columns, tables, handwriting, and faint print may be read incorrectly. Check names, dates, amounts, and reference numbers.

Exporting text does not replace the PDF or add a selectable text layer to scanned pages. The text-selection annotation tools in the editor require text already present in the PDF.

If the document contains information you intended to hide, inspect the resulting TXT file before sharing. Do not assume a visual cover in the editable document also removes text from a separate text export.