Convert PDF to TXT on Mac
Select the PDF files in Finder, press ⌥ F, choose TXT and press Return. FileFlip saves each TXT next to its original and works without an internet connection.
How to convert PDF to TXT with FileFlip
Select the PDF files
In Finder or on the Desktop. One file, or a whole folder with ⌘ A.
Press ⌥ F
FileFlip opens next to the selection and lists the formats it can make from PDF. Type “TXT” to jump to it.
Choose TXT and press Return
The TXT files appear next to the originals with the same names. The PDF files stay as they are.
PDF and TXT
PDFs are hard to edit and awkward to reuse in other apps. Plain text strips everything but the words, ready to paste, search or process anywhere.
What changes when you convert
- Only the text is kept: layout, images and fonts are dropped. A scanned PDF without a text layer has no text to extract.
| Property | TXT | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Portable Document Format | Plain text |
| Best for | Sharing, printing and archiving documents | Notes, code and text you want to reuse anywhere |
| Opens in | Every browser, Preview, Acrobat and every phone | Every text editor on every system |
| File extension | .txt | |
| In FileFlip | Opens and saves | Opens and saves |
Other ways on a Mac
For one file now and then you may not need FileFlip. These work with what’s already on your Mac.
Preview and TextEdit
Open the PDF in Preview, press ⌘ A and ⌘ C to copy the text, then paste it into a new TextEdit document and choose Format → Make Plain Text.
Fine for short documents.
Automator
Create a Quick Action with the “Extract PDF Text” action and choose Plain Text as the output.
Good if you do this often.
Questions about PDF and TXT
Can I convert many PDF files at once?
Yes. Select them all in Finder, press ⌥ F and choose TXT. Progress moves to the menu bar, so you can close the panel and keep working.
Where is the TXT file saved?
Next to the original, with the same name and the .txt extension. The PDF file isn’t changed. In Settings you can choose a different folder instead.
Can I convert TXT back to PDF?
Yes, FileFlip converts TXT to PDF as well.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. FileFlip converts files on your Mac and works with the internet turned off.
Convert a stack of PDFs at once
FileFlip also handles images, camera raw files, video, audio, documents and data files. Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
Coming soon for Mac