Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: With Adobe Reader
• Method 2 of 2: Using Google Drive for scanned or secure PDFs

PDF files are a popular document format because the content is "locked" so that all readers see the same thing. This is great for sharing documents, but can make selecting and copying the contents of a PDF difficult. The free Adobe Reader program is one of the best ways to select content from a PDF file. If the PDF was created by scanning a document, or is copy-protected, you will need to use a program that can recognize words and convert them into editable text.

To step

Method 1 of 2: With Adobe Reader

1. Download and install the latest version of Adobe Reader. This is Adobe's free PDF reader. The latest version is Adobe Reader DC (XI).
   • Before downloading the Adobe Reader installer, you will need to uncheck the McAfee box, otherwise unwanted toolbars will be installed in your browser.
   • There are many programs available for reading PDFs, including your web browser, but most have very limited selection options. You will get the best results with the free Adobe Reader.
2. Open the PDF in Adobe Reader. When you install Adobe Reader, it makes itself the default PDF file application, so it should open when you double-click a PDF file.
3. Right-click on the open PDF and choose the selection tool. This allows you to select content in the pdf.
4. Select the content you want to copy. This is the trickiest part, as the ability to select text depends on how the PDF was created:
   • If the PDF was created by scanning a document, you will not be able to select text. This is because the PDF file is encoded as an image instead of a text document. You can click and drag to create a marquee, but this will copy the text as an image instead of as text.
   • If the PDF was created from a word processor (e.g., saved as a PDF in Word), you should be able to select the text. Selecting large areas of text can be fussy, so try to make copies in small blocks of text.
   • If you want to copy an image, you will have to drag a marquee around the entire image.
5. Copy the selected content. If you are unable to copy a selection, the PDF is probably protected. If the PDF is not protected, there are a few ways to copy something you've marked:
   • Press Ctrl/Command + C.
   • Right-click on the selection and choose "Copy".
   • Select "Copy" from the edit menu.
6. Open the file where you want to copy the selection. You can paste the copied text or image into any file wherever possible. So also in a document or an image editing program.
7. Paste the copied text or image. Choose where you want to paste the content and do it in one of the following ways:
   • Press Ctrl/⌘ Command+C..
   • Right-click where you want to paste and choose "Paste".
   • Choose "Paste" from the "Edit" menu.

Method 2 of 2: Using Google Drive for scanned or secure PDFs

1. Use this method if the PDF file contains text encoded as an image. If the PDF has been scanned, it is likely an image file and not a text file. You then need an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) program to convert the image into selectable text. Google Drive has a free OCR service when uploading PDF files, which works fine in most cases.
   • Google Drive can convert protected PDF files so that you can select content from them. The procedure is the same.
   • The PDF's font will have a major impact on Google Drive's ability to read the characters. You will have the most success with PDFs that use a very clear, easy-to-read font.
2. Log into Google Drive. You can use your Google account to access free Cloud storage. All Google accounts, including Gmail accounts, come with free Cloud storage. You can log in to drive.google.com.
3. Drag the PDF file you want to convert to the Drive window. This will automatically start uploading the PDF file.
   • Note: Google Drive will not convert more than the first ten pages of a document.
4. Right-click on the uploaded file and select "Open with" → "Google Docs". This will open a new tab, and Google Docs will start processing the file.
5. Wait for Google Docs to finish the task. This may take a while. The more text, the longer it will take.
6. Check how the text was converted. Google Drive OCR software is not perfect, and errors may occur, or parts of the text may not be converted. You will be most likely to succeed with small PDF files that use standard fonts and are text only. It may be that there is a lot of white space between text parts; keep scrolling to see if everything has been converted.
   • If Google Drive was unable to convert the file properly, you can try specific OCR software. FreeOCR is one of the more popular Windows OCR programs, and can be downloaded free of charge from paperfile.net.
7. Select the content you want to copy. Use the cursor to select the text you want to copy.
8. Copy the selected text. Since you are working in Google Docs, the copying process will be quite easy.
   • Press Ctrl/Command + C.
   • Right-click on the selection and choose "Copy".
   • Click the "Edit" menu and select "Copy".