Docs & PDF Q&A
obsidian-text-extractor
[Unmaintained] Pull text out of images and PDFs inside Obsidian
★ 629
April 2026
GPL-3.0
Docs & PDF Q&A
What it does
A companion plugin that extracts text from images and PDFs so other plugins - Omnisearch in particular - can search inside them, which is the main reason to install it. The author has declared it unmaintained and is no longer able to work on it, though forks are welcome, so expect it to break eventually as Obsidian evolves. Obsidian only.
Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.
Screenshots & visuals
Before you start
- Setup difficultySome setup needed
- Command lineNot required
- API keyNot required
- Sends data onlineNo
Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.
obsidian-text-extractor FAQ
- Is obsidian-text-extractor free?
- Yes. It runs on your own machine, so there is no usage-based cost either.
- Do I need to install anything or write code to use obsidian-text-extractor?
- You install it like a normal desktop app. No command line involved.
- Does obsidian-text-extractor work on a phone?
- No. It needs a computer.
- Can I use obsidian-text-extractor commercially?
- The licence is GPL-3.0. Using it commercially is fine, but if you distribute something built on it you may be required to release that under the same licence. Keep it internal, or check before distributing.
How it compares
The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.
| Tool | Command line | API key | Sends data out | Phone | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| obsidian-text-extractor (this page) | Not needed | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
| obsidian-omnisearch | Not needed | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
| granite-docling-258m-demo | Not needed | Not needed | No | Yes | Yes |
| DocScope-R1 | Not needed | Not needed | No | Yes | With conditions |
"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.