Extract Text with Format from PDF or XPS using PDF.co and Make

Jul 23, 2025·4 Minutes Read

Learn how to extract plain text from a PDF or XPS file using PDF.co and Make.com.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: Google Drive → Watch Files in a Folder

Create a new Scenario in Make.
Add Google Drive → Watch Files in a Folder as the trigger module.
Under Select the Folder to be Watched, choose the folder you want to monitor.
Set Limit → 1 (to process one file per run)

💡 This will trigger the scenario whenever a new file is added to the selected folder, one at a time.

Add the Google Drive → Download a File module.
In the File ID field, select the output from the previous Watch Files in a Folder module.

💡 This step is especially useful if the file is private or has restricted sharing settings on Google Drive.

Add the PDF.co → Convert from PDF module.
In the File field, select the output from Google Drive → Download a File.
Set Convert Type → PDF to Text (simple, no layout, fast).
Set Pages → 0- (to convert all pages in the document)

💡 PDF.co offers two PDF to Text converter options:

PDF to Text (simple, no layout, fast): ideal for searchable PDFs with embedded text
PDF to Text: includes OCR, for scanned or image-based PDFs requiring text recognition

If unsure, start with PDF to Text (simple, no layout, fast) and switch to PDF to Text if the output is incomplete.

Add the Google Sheets → Add a Row module.
In Spreadsheet ID, select your target Google Sheet.
Choose the Sheet Name (the specific worksheet/tab).
Map the outputs from PDF.co and Google Drive modules to the corresponding columns in your sheet.