how to convert a pdf to text

Question

I have a large pdf document that I would like to convert to text to more easily navigate the sections and headers.

Answer 1

In Microsoft 365, there are two main ways to get text out of a PDF so it’s easier to navigate and work with.

1. Convert the PDF to an editable Word document

This is usually the most straightforward way to get structured text (headings, paragraphs) from a PDF:

1. Open Word (desktop or Microsoft365.com).
2. Go to File > Open.
3. Browse to and select the PDF file.
4. When prompted that Word will make a copy and convert the PDF to an editable Word document, select OK.
5. After conversion, the content will be in Word format. You can:
   • Use Navigation Pane (View > Navigation Pane) to move through headings.
   • Edit, search, and reorganize text as needed.
6. If needed, save as:
   • Word document: File > Save As, choose Word Document (.docx).
   • Plain text: File > Save As, choose Plain Text (.txt).

Notes:

• This works best for PDFs that are mostly text. Complex layouts, scanned pages, or copier-like manuscripts may not convert cleanly, and page/line breaks may differ from the original.

2. Extract text from PDF using Power Automate for desktop

If using Power Automate for desktop and want to programmatically extract text (for example, from a large PDF or many PDFs):

1. In Power Automate for desktop, create or edit a desktop flow.
2. Add the Extract text from PDF action.
3. Configure:
   • PDF file: Path to the PDF.
   • Page(s) to extract: All, Single, or Range.
   • If needed, set Password for protected PDFs.
   • Optionally enable Optimize for structured data to better detect formatted layout.
4. Run the flow. The action outputs a variable, typically ExtractedPDFText, containing the extracted text.
5. Use that text variable to write to a file, process further, or load into another system.

This approach is useful when automating extraction from large or multiple PDFs.

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References:

• Edit a PDF
• Edit or make changes to a PDF file
• PDF actions