About the PDF to ODT
ODT is the standard document format of LibreOffice Writer and OpenOffice, and it is used by many governments and schools. This converter turns the text of a PDF into an ODT file with real document structure: headings use Writer's Heading 1 to 3 styles, so the navigator and table of contents work at once, paragraphs flow normally and lists are proper lists. Open it in LibreOffice, OpenOffice, Google Docs or Microsoft Word and edit away. The conversion runs entirely in your browser.
Updated October 2026
How to use the PDF to ODT
- 1Select a PDF with selectable text.
- 2Press Convert to ODT.
- 3Wait while the pages are read.
- 4Download the .odt file.
- 5Open it in LibreOffice Writer or another editor.
How the text is rebuilt
A PDF stores text as pieces placed at exact positions, not as paragraphs. The converter groups pieces into lines, joins lines into paragraphs when the spacing and line endings show they belong together, removes words split by hyphens at line ends, and treats larger text as headings. Bullets and numbers at the start of lines become list items. Running headers, footers and page numbers that repeat on most pages are left out.
What isn't carried over
The aim is clean, editable text with its structure, not a copy of the layout.
- Pictures and drawings
- Tables (their text comes through as lines)
- Multi-column layouts (columns are read across)
- Fonts, colours and exact positions
Working in LibreOffice
Open the file, press F5 to show the Navigator and you will see the headings ready to jump between. Apply your own styles by modifying the Heading and Default Paragraph styles, and every part of the document updates together.
Sharing the result
If colleagues use Word, save a copy as .docx from LibreOffice. If they only need to read it, export a PDF. ODT keeps the structure best for further editing in open-source office suites.
Why structure matters
A document with real heading styles can be navigated, re-styled in one step and turned into an accessible PDF or e-book later. Converters that only copy text leave every line as plain body text, which takes a long time to fix by hand. Rebuilding the structure from the PDF gives you a better starting point.
Phone and computer
Collabora Office and other ODT apps open the file on phones, but editing long documents is easier on a computer. If you use Word instead, PDF to Word is the better match, and PDF to RTF gives a simple text file.
Features
- Real Heading 1–3 styles
- Proper bulleted and numbered lists
- Opens in LibreOffice, OpenOffice, Google Docs and Word
- Document title saved
- Hyphenated words rejoined
- No upload
Frequently asked questions
Why use ODT?
It is an open, international standard (ISO/IEC 26300) used by LibreOffice and required by some public bodies. Using it avoids depending on a single company's format.
Will headings work with the table of contents?
Yes. Headings use Writer's built-in heading styles, so Insert > Table of Contents picks them up straight away.
Can Microsoft Word open ODT?
Yes. Word 2010 and later open and save ODT files.
Is the layout of the PDF kept?
No. You get editable text with its structure; pictures, columns and exact positions aren't copied.
Why is the result empty?
The PDF is probably scanned: its pages are pictures, not text. Run it through our PDF OCR tool first to add a text layer, then convert the result.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The PDF is read and converted in your browser, so confidential documents never leave your device.
Can I convert the ODT back to PDF?
Yes. Use File > Export as PDF in LibreOffice, or our ODT to PDF tool.
Will it open in Google Docs?
Yes. Upload the .odt to Google Drive and choose Open with Google Docs, which keeps the headings and lists.