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Why can’t I Copy Text in the Page?

Troubleshoots why text on a PDF page cannot be copied in Foxit PDF products.

Answer

If you have a problem copying the text from a PDF document, please check the following three things.

  • Check if you've switched to "Select Text and Image" this tool

If the Hand tool is selected when you hover your mouse over the text, go to Home > Tools > Select > click Select Text and Image then try to copy.

  • Check if Content Copying is allowed or not:

Open the PDF document in "Reader, go to File > Properties > Security, and review Document Restrictions Summary to see if Content Copying is allowed or not. If you are restricted from copying, contact the author of the PDF to change the security setting.

  • Check if the document is a scanned or image based file:

Open the PDF document in Foxit PDF Editor, go to File > View > Text Viewer to see if there are text objects. If not, you could use Convert>Recognize text feature in Foxit PDF Editor to make the text recognizable and highlight-able.

Tip: If the document is a scanned or image based file and you choose not to use the Convert>Recognize text feature in Foxit PDF Editor, you can copy a section with the "Home"> "Snapshot" tool.