---
syntax: markdown
tags: [tldr, common]
source: https://github.com/tldr-pages/tldr.git
---
# pdftotext

> Convert PDF files to plain text format.
> More information: <https://www.xpdfreader.com/pdftotext-man.html>.

- Convert `filename.pdf` to plain text and print it to `stdout`:

`pdftotext {{filename.pdf}} -`

- Convert `filename.pdf` to plain text and save it as `filename.txt`:

`pdftotext {{filename.pdf}}`

- Convert `filename.pdf` to plain text and preserve the layout:

`pdftotext -layout {{filename.pdf}}`

- Convert `input.pdf` to plain text and save it as `output.txt`:

`pdftotext {{input.pdf}} {{output.txt}}`

- Convert pages 2, 3 and 4 of `input.pdf` to plain text and save them as `output.txt`:

`pdftotext -f {{2}} -l {{4}} {{input.pdf}} {{output.txt}}`
