Can’t Copy and Paste from a PDF? Here Are the Reasons and Solutions
Summary :
Being unable to copy and paste from PDF is very annoying. This can seriously reduce work efficiency. For this problem, we found the reasons and proposed 4 effective solutions.
Table of Contents
Why Can’t I Copy and Paste from PDF
When you try to copy and paste content from a PDF into another file, the copy button might not work, which is frustrating and time-consuming.
So, you’re looking for reasons why you can’t copy text from PDF and possible solutions.
This article explains why you can’t copy text from PDFs and offers various methods to fix the issue.
Why Can’t I Copy and Paste from the PDF
Copying text from a PDF is usually allowed, even if editing is restricted. However, some PDFs prevent copying. Here’s why:
Scanned PDFs or Image-only PDFs
If you’re unable to select, copy, or highlight text in a PDF viewer like Chrome, it’s likely that the PDF is scanned or image-based. This format saves the content as images, not as selectable text.
To fix this:
• Method 1: Use OCR to extract text.
• Method 2: Convert scanned PDF to editable Word.
PDFs with Owner Password
If you can open and annotate a PDF but can’t copy or print, permissions are likely restricted by an Owner Password.
To bypass this:
• Method 1: Remove the Owner Password.
• Method 2: Remove the Owner Password Online.
PDFs with User Password
If a password is required to open the file, it’s secured by a User Password. In this case, request the password from the file owner.
Now that you know why copying is restricted, try these four effective solutions to resolve it.
Solution 1. OCR Your Scanned PDF File
OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology recognizes text within images. If your PDF is a scanned copy or image-based, and PDFgear OCR tool can extract the text.
Step 1. Download PDFgear, open it, and click “Open File” to select your PDF.
Step 2. Click the “OCR” button in the Home tab, select the area to scan, and tap “Done.”
Step 3. In the pop-up, choose “Copy text to clipboard” to copy the text or click “Save” to save it as a .txt file.
Solution 2. Convert Scanned PDF to an Editable Word
Converting a PDF to an editable Word document is the easiest way to copy text, even from scanned PDFs.
Step 1. Download PDFgear and launch it on your device.
Step 2. Go to “Hot Tools” and select “PDF to Word.”
Step 3. Click “Add File” to select your PDFs, check the “OCR” option, and hit “Convert.”
Step 4. Open the converted Word document to copy the text.
Solution 3. Remove Copy Permission Restrictions in PDFs
If your PDF has copy or print restrictions, you can request the password from the owner. Alternatively, PDFgear offers a solution to remove these restrictions without needing the password.
Step 1. Download PDFgear, then drag and drop your PDF to open it.
Step 2. Go to “Tools” > Select “Remove” > Click “OK” when the warning pop-up appears.
Step 3. Now your copy or print restrictions are removed. Select the text you want to copy, right-click, and choose “Copy.”
PDFgear also lets you edit existing text in PDFs directly. You can add or delete text, and easily change the text font, color, size, bold, or italicize it, without needing to convert the file.
Solution 4. Unlock Your PDF
PDFgear provides an online solution to remove copy and print restrictions from PDF files without requiring the owner’s password. This service is accessible without any installation, login, or cost.
Step 1. Go to PDFgear online unlocker > Click “Select PDF files” and upload your PDF.
Step 2. Wait a few seconds, then click “Download” to get the unlocked PDF.
Step 3. Open the PDF with Chrome or other PDF viewers to copy.
FAQs
Why Can’t You Copy and Paste from a PDF?
There are three main reasons: the file is locked, copy and paste options are restricted, or the PDF is a scanned or image file.
Can I Copy and Paste from a Locked PDF?
For PDF files locked with a User Password, request the password from the file owner.
If an Owner Password protects it, use PDFgear to remove copy restrictions. Available online and offline options — see Solutions 3 and Solution 4 for further methods.
Is It Possible to Enable Copy and Paste in a PDF?
Yes. With PDFgear, both online and offline tools allow you to copy and paste content from PDFs. PDFgear Desktop also supports direct editing of PDF content, similar to editing a Word document (click “Edit” > “Edit Text”).
How to Copy and Paste from a Scanned PDF?
You can use PDFgear to copy and paste text from a scanned PDF. Download and install PDFgear, click the OCR button, select the area, hit “Done,” and choose “Copy text to clipboard.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are various reasons why you might not be able to copy and paste from a PDF, such as locked files, copy protection, or scanned documents.
However, with tools like PDFgear, you can convert PDFs, enable copy and paste, and even use OCR to extract text from scanned PDFs. PDFgear provides both online and offline solutions to help you manage and edit your PDF files effectively.
