PDF to JSON
Turn a digital PDF into structured JSON — document info plus per-page text, or a detailed layout with every text item’s position, size and font. No OCR, no upload: read straight from the file in your browser.
Open PDF to JSON →What is the PDF to JSON converter?
A private, offline PDF to JSON converter that reads the real, selectable text layer out of a digital PDF and serialises it as structured JSON — either document info plus per-page text, or a detailed layout with every text item's position, size and font. There's no OCR and no upload: the file is read straight from your browser, so nothing leaves your device.
How to use PDF to JSON
- Add your PDF — Drop a PDF onto the dropzone or click to choose one. It's read in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
- Pick a shape — Switch between Text mode (document info plus one reconstructed text string per page) and Detailed mode (per-page dimensions plus every text item with its x/y position, width, height and font).
- Choose the scope — Use the View dropdown to output all pages or just a single page, and toggle Pretty to indent the JSON or keep it compact.
- Copy or save — Copy the JSON to your clipboard, or download it as a .json file named after your document.
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. The PDF is parsed entirely in your browser using a bundled engine, so the file and its contents never leave your device. It also works offline after the first load.
What's the difference between Text and Detailed mode?
Text mode gives you the document info and one reconstructed text string per page — handy for feeding text into other tools. Detailed mode adds the page dimensions and every individual text item with its position, size and font, which is useful when you need the layout.
It says my PDF has no text layer — why?
Scanned or image-only PDFs have no selectable text to read, so the output would be empty. The tool flags this and points you to the OCR tool, which reads text from the page images instead.
Does it work on password-protected PDFs?
No. You'll need to unlock the PDF first — the tool will tell you if a file is password-protected.
What does the Pretty option do?
Pretty indents the JSON with two spaces so it's easy to read. Turn it off for compact, minified JSON with no extra whitespace.
Tips
- Use Text mode when you just need the words, and Detailed mode when you need each item's position and font.
- Turn off Pretty for the smallest possible file when the JSON is going straight into another program.
- If the output is empty, the PDF is probably a scan — run it through OCR instead.