Why No Text Could Be Extracted From This File— ChatGPT Error

If you get this error, “No Text Could Be Extracted From This File” while uploading a PDF, you’re not alone. This issue usually occurs when the PDF is scanned or not in a text-extractable format. Instead of repeatedly trying to upload the file, the fastest solution is to use UPDF. Its powerful OCR feature quickly converts scanned pages into editable text. Simply click the button below to download and have a try! You can also use UPDF AI Online, which now applies automatic OCR when parsing documents.

Continue reading this article, as I will tell you everything about the “No Text Could Be Extracted From This File” ChatGPT error and how to fix it with.

Part 1. No Text Could Be Extracted From This File

Just like the above user, if you also see this error, then there could be many reasons for it. Some of the top ones are discussed below.

• Your scanned PDF contains only images, so ChatGPT can’t extract the text.
• Uploading larger PDF files can cause extraction failures, which is the main reason for getting this error.
• ChatGPT doesn’t extract text from scanned or handwritten PDFs.
• Some third-party apps save PDFs in formats that aren't fully supported by ChatGPT.
• You may be uploading a PDF that’s partially corrupted, which prevents ChatGPT from reading or extracting its contents.

These are the common reasons why you see the “No Text Could Be Extracted From This File” error. Continue reading as I will tell you how to fix this error in no time.

Part 2. How To Fix ChatGPT No Text Could Be Extracted From This File

If ChatGPT can’t extract text from your PDF because it only contains scanned images, don’t worry—there are two reliable ways to resolve this problem. The first option is to use UPDF, which includes a powerful OCR feature capable of converting scanned or image-based PDFs into fully editable text. UPDF uses reliable OCR technology, which supports around 38 languages. That means you can scan your document into multiple languages. It also uses MCR technology to reduce PDF size without compromising the quality. Moreover, you can use the batch mode to scan your PDF files at the same time.

The second method involves using UPDF AI Online, which automatically applies OCR during the document-parsing process. Let’s discuss how to use UPDF OCR feature and UPDF AI Online tool to convert your PDF files into editable and searchable texts.

Method 1: Use UPDF OCR to Convert the Scanned PDF to Editable Text

Here is how you can use UPDF OCR to convert your scanned PDF into searchable text.

Step 1: Launch your UPDF app and drag-and-drop your scanned PDF file.

Step 2: Click the “Tools” option and under the Edit PDF section, choose the “OCR” option.

Step 3: On the screen, you will see different options like Editable PDF, Text and Pictures Only and so on. Select “Editable PDF” and choose your desired language, such as English, German, or French.

Step 4: Click the “Convert” option and let UPDF run its OCR. Once done, upload the OCR PDF to ChatGPT.

Method 2: Use UPDF AI Online Automatic OCR 

If you don’t want to install the app, then you can use UPDF AI Online to automatically OCR PDF files. Here is how this tool works.

Step 1: Visit https://ai.updf.com/ and upload your scanned PDF. You can also click the button below to visit UPDF AI online directly.

Step 2: Once your PDF file is uploaded, the tool will automatically apply OCR as part of parsing.

Step 3: Once the text is extracted, you can directly chat with the document and ask questions, extract passages, generate mind maps, and more. You can also translate it into different languages.

Below, I have attached the screenshots of things that you can do with this tool.

1. Translate PDF

You can click the “Translate” icon to translate your PDF file.  UPDF supports side-by-side translation and page-by-page translation.

You can also use the top menu to enable side-by-side translation easily and choose your desired language for translation.

This is how the side-by-side interface looks like once the PDF file is translated.

• Mind Map

The Mind Map feature helps you break down your PDF into headings, smaller paragraphs and create branches for related points, forming a structured layout.

Here is how it breaks down the PDF file into different categories.

• Convert PDF

You can also use the convert option to convert PDF into different formats, such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

You can also use UPDF desktop app to access UPDF AI Online. Open your tool and click the “AI” option as shown in the image below.

Now, from the upload window, upload your PDF file. Once you have uploaded the PDF, click the “Start Chat with PDF” option to start the process.

Top Other Features of UPDF AI

• UPDF AI is powered by GPT-5 and Deepseek R1, enabling more accurate and efficient processing of users’ documents.
• You can use the Project feature in the left sidebar to upload multiple PDF documents and chat with UPDF AI seamlessly.
• The tool offers two features: Scholar Research and Paper Search to access a wider range of academic resources and research materials. The Scholar Research feature helps you quickly explore and access a wide variety of academic resources. Paper Search allows users to efficiently find relevant research papers.

With all these powerful features available in one platform, you don’t need to switch between multiple software applications. So, download UPDF today to enjoy all the amazing features. Also,consider upgrading to a UPDF Premium license to unlock all premium features.

Conclusion

By following the above methods, you can quickly solve the “No Text Could Be Extracted From This File” error in ChatGPT. Apart from that, you can use two powerful toolsUPDF and UPDF AI Online, to make your scanned or image-based PDFs editable, searchable, and easier to work with. UPDF also offers other features like Edit PDF, Annotate, Create, Organise PDF, Convert PDF and much more. Download UPDF today and enjoy all its amazing features.