Docs & PDF Q&A
obsidian-text-extractor
[Unmaintained] Pull text out of images and PDFs inside Obsidian
★ 636
April 2026
GPL-3.0
Docs & PDF Q&A
What we checked ourselves
Not copied from the project's own blurb. These are things we opened and verified, with the date.
- 23 Aug 2026We checked that the link to the project still resolves.
- 14 Aug 2026We read the licence text itself (LICENSE). No unusual restrictions were stated.
- 2 Sept 2026We read the project's own documentation and found signs that it may no longer be maintained.
Where this sits among the 63 tools we list in Docs & PDF Q&A
- Works without using a terminal20 of 63
- No API key required32 of 63
- Keeps your data on your own machine20 of 63
- Commercial use confirmed as allowed52 of 63
Only 5 of the 63 meet all of the conditions above.
Counted from our own checks: every tool we list is examined against the same criteria.
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.