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How to Copy Equations from PDF to Word

By imagetolatex team · Published

Copying an equation out of a PDF gives scrambled characters because the PDF stores glyphs at positions, not math. For a few equations, snip each one and convert the image into a Word equation. For a whole paper, convert the PDF to Word with OCR so every equation arrives as a native Word equation.

Why copy and paste fails

A PDF made from LaTeX or Word keeps where each character is drawn, but not that "2" is an exponent or that a line is a fraction bar. Pasted into Word, the equation falls apart into a row of symbols, often with missing characters from math fonts. Opening the PDF directly in Word has the same problem for formulas.

Method 1: a few equations, one by one

  1. Step 1: Snip the equationZoom in, then Win+Shift+S on Windows or Control+Shift+Command+4 on a Mac.
  2. Step 2: Paste into the converterOpen the image to LaTeX converter and press Ctrl+V. Single printed formulas are free within a daily limit.
  3. Step 3: Copy for WordCheck the preview, click Copy for Word and paste into your document.

Keep going: each formula you convert is added to the session list, and with a free account Export selected to Word puts them all into one .docx.

Method 2: the whole PDF

  1. Step 1: Upload the PDFOpen OCR PDF to Word and upload the file, up to 150 pages and 100 MB. Scanned PDFs work too.
  2. Step 2: Wait for the conversionPages are read with OCR; you can close the page and download from your history later. It needs a free account and credits per page.
  3. Step 3: Download the .docxClick an equation in Word: it opens in Word's equation editor. Expect to adjust fonts and spacing, since exact layout is not copied.
The OCR PDF to Word converter with an upload area for PDF files
OCR PDF to Word: text, tables and equations come out editable in Word.

FAQ

Why do equations turn into symbols when I copy from a PDF?
The PDF has no math structure, only characters at positions, so Word cannot rebuild fractions, roots and scripts.
Can I get LaTeX instead of Word?
Yes. Copy LaTeX for single formulas, or use PDF to LaTeX for a whole paper.
Does it work with scanned textbooks?
Yes, OCR reads scanned pages. Clear, straight scans give the best results.
How long are files kept?
The PDF is deleted once converted and the Word file after 24 hours.

Sources

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