Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

This article shows you how to convert PDF files into editable text via Google Docs on your computer. Note, however, that Google Docs will change the PDF file's format and delete the entire image; If it's important to keep the PDF file format, you shouldn't use Google Docs to edit the file.

Steps

1. Find out what PDF files you can edit. PDF files created from text, such as Word or Notepad files, can be opened as text files in Google Docs, as long as the file has not been encrypted.
   • If the PDF file you want to edit is an image file (or contains multiple images) or has been encrypted, you cannot use Google Docs to edit the PDF.

2. 

   
   
   (Upload). It's a folder icon in the top-right corner of the page. A new window will appear.

3. 

   Click on options Upload above the displayed window.

4. 

   
   
   Click Select a file from your computer (Select a file from the computer). It's a blue button at the bottom of the window. This will open a new window where you can select your PDF file.

5. 

   
   
   Select PDF file. Click on the PDF file you want to upload to Google Docs. If the PDF file is not saved in an open folder, you will click the folder containing the PDF file on the left side of the window.

6. 

   Click Open (Open) in the middle lower part of the window. The PDF file will begin uploading to Google Docs; When the PDF file is displayed, you can proceed.

7. 

   Choose Open with (Open with) at the top of the page. You will see a new menu appear here.

8. 

   Click Google Docs in the currently displayed menu. The PDF file will open in a new Google Docs tab; Now you can freely edit the text as you like.

9. 

   Edit PDF files. You can change, add or delete content as you would on a regular Google Docs document.
   • The format of the PDF will change depending on the source of the file before being opened in Google Docs.

10. 

    Download the edited PDF file. Click File (File), select Download as (Download) in the menu and select PDF Document (PDF Document) in the currently displayed menu. This will convert the text to PDF and download the file to your computer.
    • You can also click Microsoft Word instead of PDF If you want to save the PDF as a Word document for later editing.
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Advice

• You can edit PDF files without altering the inherent format using other programs Google Docs.

Warning

• Although you can install the PDF to Word converter for Google Drive, these apps do not allow you to convert PDF images and formats to Word documents.
• You cannot convert a PDF file to text in Google Drive and Google Docs on the phone.