PDF Text to Outlines
PDFTurn the text in a PDF into vector outlines, so it looks and prints the same without the fonts — in your browser, never uploaded.
PDF Text to Outlines turns every letter in a PDF into the vector shape its font draws, so the file looks and prints exactly the same on a computer that does not have the fonts. It is what a print shop means by "outline the fonts", and what a designer needs to open someone else's PDF in Illustrator without the lettering changing.
The shapes come from the fonts embedded in the PDF itself, so nothing is guessed. Text in a font that was never embedded is left as it is and named, because its true shapes are not in the file. Fonts nothing uses any more are removed.
The conversion runs in your browser and the PDF is never uploaded. Outlined text can no longer be edited, selected or searched, so keep the original.
Why use PDF Text to Outlines
100% private
Your PDF files are processed locally and never uploaded.
Instant
No upload or download wait — it runs at the speed of your device.
Free to start
Use it free every day; go Pro for unlimited runs.
No install
Works in any modern browser. No sign-up to begin.
How to use PDF Text to Outlines
- 1Drop the PDF
One or several. They are read in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
- 2Convert the text
Every letter becomes the vector shape its font draws. Text in a font that is not embedded is left as it is, and named.
- 3Download and send
The file looks the same on a computer without the fonts — send it to the designer or the printer, and keep the original for editing.
Frequently asked questions
What does outlining text in a PDF do?
It replaces each letter with the vector shape its font draws — the outline a print shop asks for when it says "outline the fonts" or "convert text to curves". The page looks exactly the same, but no font is needed to show or print it, so a designer opening the file in Illustrator, or a printer's workflow, cannot swap in a different typeface.
Where do the letter shapes come from?
From the fonts embedded in the PDF itself: TrueType, OpenType/CFF, Type 1 and CID fonts, including subsets, accents and non-Latin scripts. Nothing is guessed or redrawn — the shapes are the ones the file already carries.
What about text in a font that is not embedded?
It is left as text, and the result names the font. A font that is not in the file has no shapes in the file either, so outlining it would only draw whatever look-alike this computer has. Embed the font when exporting, then outline.
Can I still edit or search the text afterwards?
No — that is the trade. Outlined text is drawing, not text: it cannot be edited, selected, searched or read aloud, and the file is usually larger. Keep the original, and send the outlined copy where the look matters.
Is the artwork uploaded to be converted?
No. It is read and converted in your browser, and the new file is made on your device. A client's artwork or an unreleased campaign never leaves your computer.