Not all PDFs are the same. Understanding the difference explains why most PDF to text tools fail on certain documents and why AI vision gives better results across all three types.

Text-based PDFs contain selectable text embedded in the file. You can highlight and copy text directly. These are created by word processors, spreadsheet apps, and web browsers. Traditional tools handle these fine — but even here, AI vision catches formatting nuances that copy-paste misses, like table alignment and column order.

Scanned PDFs are images wrapped in a PDF container. When you scan a paper document, the result looks like a PDF but contains no selectable text. It is just a photo of the page. Traditional OCR tools struggle with these — they see pixels, not text. AI vision reads scanned PDFs like a human reads a photocopy: understanding context, layout, and even partially obscured characters. Take a screenshot or photo of the scanned PDF page and upload the image to ImagText.

Mixed PDFs combine both types. A common example: a contract with typed clauses and a handwritten signature. Or a form with printed labels and filled-in fields. Traditional tools extract the typed portions and garble the handwritten parts. For documents with significant handwriting, the handwriting to text converter is tuned for cursive and mixed-style recognition. AI vision reads both seamlessly because it processes the entire image as a human would.

ImagText currently works with images of PDF pages. Take a screenshot or photo of the PDF page you need, then upload that image — the screenshot to text extractor makes this effortless with clipboard paste support. The AI reads the visual content and extracts all text regardless of how the original PDF was created. Direct .pdf file upload is on the roadmap, but the image-based approach already handles every PDF type with high accuracy because the AI reads what it sees, not what metadata says should be there.

This distinction matters for anyone searching for a PDF to text converter. Most online tools only handle text-based PDFs. They parse the embedded text layer and call it done. When you upload a scanned contract or a photographed form, they return garbage. ImagText treats every PDF page as an image to read — the approach that works universally.

Take clean screenshots. When screenshotting a PDF page, zoom to 100% or higher. Avoid capturing the PDF viewer chrome — toolbars, sidebars, and page thumbnails add noise. On Mac, use Cmd+Shift+4 to select just the page content. On Windows, use the Snipping Tool in rectangle mode.

One page at a time. Process one PDF page per upload for best results. If you need multiple pages, screenshot each separately. The AI focuses on a single page image more effectively than a zoomed-out multi-page view.

Good lighting for photos. If photographing a printed PDF with your phone, ensure even lighting across the page. Avoid shadows from your hand or phone. Lay the document flat on a well-lit surface. Natural diffused light works best. For archival TIFF scans of documents, the TIFF to text converter preserves full scan fidelity. The AI handles imperfect conditions, but clearer input always gives cleaner output.

Use the document context. ImagText automatically applies the document context when you use this PDF to text page. This tunes the AI prompt for document-specific patterns like headers, page numbers, and paragraph structure.