Preview Icon

Selecting and copying text in a PDF file

You can select and copy text from a PDF file, and then paste it into another application, such as a word processor.

Here are some ways to copy text:

To copy text, choose Tools > Text Tool. Drag over the text, and then choose Edit > Copy.

With some PDF files, line breaks are not saved when you copy text, so that when you paste the text, the lines all run together.

To copy only a portion of text vertically (for example, to select only one column in a two-column document), choose Tools > Text Tool. Hold the Option key as you select the text, and then choose Edit > Copy.

To select a portion of the page and copy it as a graphic image, choose Tools > Select Tool. Select a portion of the page, and then choose Edit > Copy.

Related Topics

PDF editing