You open a PDF and try to copy the text, but you can't select anything. You drag with your mouse and nothing happens, or you can select the text but it turns into garbled characters when you paste it. Sound familiar?

There are actually five main reasons why text in a PDF might not copy properly. In this guide, based on the latest information as of March 2026, we'll show you how to identify the cause and walk through free ways to fix it.

Why Can't You Copy Text from a PDF? 5 Common Causes

When you can't copy text from a PDF, start by figuring out which pattern you're dealing with. The right fix depends entirely on the cause.

Cause 1: It's a Scanned Image PDF with No Text Data

A PDF made by scanning a paper document or photographing it with a phone may look like it contains text, but inside, it's just an image. Since there's no actual text data, you can't select the letters themselves.

Here's an easy way to check: open the PDF and move your cursor over the words. If it doesn't turn into a text-selection cursor, the I-shaped cursor, it's probably an image-based PDF.

Cause 2: Copying Is Restricted by PDF Security Settings

The creator of the PDF may have applied security settings that prevent text copying. In this case, you may be able to select the text, but the right-click “Copy” option is grayed out, or Ctrl+C doesn't work.

According to Adobe's official help page, PDF password security includes two types: a password to open the document and a permissions password. Copy restrictions are controlled by the latter.

Cause 3: Font Embedding Problems Cause Garbled Text

Sometimes you can copy the text, but when you paste it, you get “□□□□” or random-looking symbols. This usually happens because the character encoding for the font embedded in the PDF isn't mapped correctly.

You'll see this especially often in PDFs made with older PDF creation tools or certain DTP, or print-layout, applications.

Cause 4: You're Using the Wrong Selection Tool in Your PDF Viewer

If you're using Adobe Acrobat Reader and the toolbar is set to the Hand tool, you won't be able to select text. Sometimes the fix is as simple as switching to the Selection tool.

Click the arrow icon in the toolbar, or press the “V” shortcut key to switch to the Selection tool.

Cause 5: Your Browser's Built-In PDF Viewer Is Glitching

Text selection can fail when you open a PDF in Chrome, Edge, or another browser's built-in PDF viewer. This is especially common with PDFs that have complex forms, layers, or formatting that the browser viewer doesn't handle well.

Fix for Cause 1: Use OCR to Turn a Scanned PDF into Text

If the PDF is a scanned image, you'll need OCR, short for optical character recognition, to convert the words in the image into digital text. In plain English, OCR “reads” the text inside the image for you.

Method 1: Use Google Drive for Free OCR, Recommended

The easiest option for most people is Google Drive. If you have a Google account, you can use it for free.

  1. Upload the PDF file to Google Drive
  2. Right-click the uploaded PDF → choose “Open with” → “Google Docs”
  3. OCR runs automatically and extracts the text
  4. Copy the text from the Google Docs file that opens

According to Google Drive Help, Google can automatically detect text in image files and PDFs. Its Japanese recognition accuracy is quite strong, and as of March 2026, it also supports handwritten text.

Method 2: Use a Free Online OCR Tool

If you don't want to use a Google account, a free browser-based OCR tool can be convenient.

  • PDF24 OCR — A free tool from Germany. No installation needed, runs in your browser, and supports Japanese
  • Smallpdf OCR — Free for up to two files per day. Simple interface and beginner-friendly
  • iLovePDF OCR — Has a free plan and supports batch processing for multiple files

One important caution: don't upload PDFs that contain confidential documents or personal information to external online tools. For work documents, it's safer to use desktop software like the options below.

Method 3: Use Adobe Acrobat's Free Online OCR

Adobe Acrobat's online tool can also run OCR. You'll need a free Adobe account, but you can use it a few times per month at no cost. Its strengths are high accuracy and good layout preservation.

Fix for Cause 2: How to Extract Text from a Copy-Restricted PDF

If the PDF has copy restrictions, the following methods can help assuming you have a legitimate reason, such as being the document owner or needing it for authorized work.

Method 1: Open the PDF in Google Chrome

This is the simplest method. Drag and drop the restricted PDF into Chrome to open it. Chrome's built-in PDF viewer may let you select and copy text even when the PDF has copy restrictions.

Method 2: Use “Print → Save as PDF” to Remove Restrictions

  1. Open the file in any PDF viewer
  2. Select “Print” (Ctrl+P)
  3. Change the printer to “Microsoft Print to PDF” on Windows or “Save as PDF” on Mac
  4. Print and save it as a new PDF

The new PDF created this way usually won't have the copy restriction, so you can copy the text freely. However, bookmarks and links may be lost.

Method 3: Use Your Phone's Text Recognition Feature

On iPhone, you can use Live Text. On Android, you can use Google Lens. Take a screenshot of the PDF, then extract the text from the image. For small amounts of text, this is often the fastest route.

Fix for Cause 3: What to Do When Copied PDF Text Turns Garbled

If the text becomes garbled after copy and paste, try the following fixes.

Open the PDF in a Different Viewer

If the text gets garbled in Adobe Acrobat Reader, try opening it in another viewer, such as Foxit PDF Reader, which is free, or Sumatra PDF, a free Windows PDF viewer. Sometimes another viewer can copy the text correctly.

Use “Select All” Before Copying

In some PDFs, selecting only part of the text can trigger encoding issues. Try Ctrl+A to select everything, then Ctrl+C to copy, and paste it into a plain text editor. It may display correctly there.

Last Resort: Run OCR Again

If the garbled text problem just won't go away, the most reliable fix is to treat it like Cause 1 and convert it with OCR. The Google Drive method is usually the easiest.

Fix for Causes 4 and 5: Check Your PDF Viewer Settings

Cause 4, a tool-selection issue, and Cause 5, a browser viewer problem, are usually easy to solve by changing a setting or switching apps.

If You're Using Adobe Acrobat Reader

  • Click the “Selection tool,” the arrow icon, in the toolbar. Or press the “V” key on your keyboard
  • If that still doesn't work, go to “Edit” → “Preferences” → “General” and check “Use selection tool at startup”

If It Doesn't Work in a Browser

  • Download the PDF first, then open it in a dedicated PDF viewer such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or Foxit PDF Reader
  • In Chrome, enter chrome://settings/content/pdfDocuments in the address bar and change the setting to download PDFs

What to Do When You Can't Copy PDF Text on a Phone

If you can't copy text from a PDF on your phone, the basic causes are the same as on a computer.

On iPhone

  • Open the PDF in the Files app, then try long-pressing the text to select it
  • If it's an image PDF, take a screenshot, open it in the Photos app, and tap the Live Text icon in the lower-right corner. This works on iOS 15 and later
  • Uploading it to the Google Drive app and opening it with Google Docs can also work well

On Android

  • Upload the PDF to the Google Drive app and open it with Google Docs
  • Use Google Lens to read text from a screenshot
  • Open it in the free Adobe Acrobat Reader app and try selecting the text there

FAQ

How accurate is OCR? Can it read Japanese correctly?

As of March 2026, OCR in Google Drive and Adobe Acrobat is very accurate for Japanese. For cleanly printed documents, it can read text with over 95% accuracy. That said, handwriting, faded print, and unusual fonts can reduce accuracy.

Is it safe to upload confidential company documents to an online OCR tool?

For highly confidential documents, avoid uploading them to external online tools. Instead, use a local tool that processes files on your device, such as the desktop OCR feature in Adobe Acrobat Pro, paid, or the text extraction feature in Windows 11's Snipping Tool.

Is it illegal to remove copy restrictions from a PDF?

Removing copy restrictions for personal use or for documents you have rights to is generally not a problem. However, bypassing DRM, or digital rights management, on copyrighted content may violate laws such as unfair competition or copyright law. For business use, the safest option is to ask the PDF creator for a copy-enabled version.

Can Windows 11's Snipping Tool really extract text from a PDF?

Yes. Windows 11's Snipping Tool, version 11.2308 and later, includes a “Text Actions” feature that can automatically recognize and copy text from screenshots. Even with an image-based PDF, you can extract text by displaying it on screen and taking a screenshot.

Is there a way to convert a large batch of scanned PDFs into text?

If you want a free batch option, PDF24 OCR supports multiple files. For heavy business use, Adobe Acrobat Pro, from 1,518 yen per month as of March 2026, has an efficient batch OCR feature.

References