How to Copy an Equation from PDF to Word? (The Complete Guide)

Are you looking to transfer equations from a PDF file to Word? It is quite an important process for students, researchers, and professionals dealing with math and science. Why? Because it makes editing and formatting a breeze in Word!

For this, you need two tools: a versatile PDF editor, like UPDF, and Microsoft Word.

We recommend UPDF because it effortlessly copies equations from PDFs and pastes them directly into Word, saving time and ensuring accuracy.

In this guide, we have put together 4 ways how to copy an equation from PDF to Word using UPDF.

So, download UPDF now and see how easy it can be to manage equations while working with PDF and Word documents!

Method 1: Copy Equations from PDF to Word by Editing and Copying

If you’re working on basic math equations that don’t have complex symbols and formatting, you can simply copy and paste them from the PDF file to a Word document using the editing feature in UPDF.

Here are the steps on how to copy equation from PDF to Word:

Step 1: Launch UPDF and click on “Open File” to open the PDF containing equations.

Step 2: From the menu on the left, click on “Edit PDF.” This will make your PDF editable.

Step 3: Click on the equation you want to copy to make a text box appear around it. Then, highlight it and right-click on it to copy it.

Step 4: Lastly, open Word and paste the equation into it.

Method 2: Copy Equations from PDF to Word by Converting

Another way to copy math equations from PDF to Word is by converting the PDF to Word. This method is best for equations that involve complex formatting, symbols, or mathematical notation.

Let’s see how it’s done:

Step 1: Open the PDF with the equations using UPDF, and from the menu on the right, select “Export PDF > Word.”

Step 2: Click on “Layout Settings” and select the “Retain Flowing Text” option to keep the formatting of the equations intact.

Step 3: Next, set the Page Range and click “Export.” This will convert your PDF into Word format.  Now, you can open the Word file and you can make the necessary adjustments to the equations. And you will find the format is same to the original PDF one.

Method 3: Copy Equations from PDF to Word by Screenshot and AI

If you’re working on a PDF with equations with complex formatting or the PDF has security restrictions due to which copying or converting the file is not an option, you can still copy it.

How? With UPDF AI, of course!

The steps below will show you how to copy formula from PDF to Word via UPDF AI:

Step 1: Open the PDF with equations in UPDF, and click on the “UPDF AI” option at the lower-right corner.

Step 2: Select the “Chat” tab and click on the screenshot icon at the bottom.

Step 3: Select the equation part in the PDF that you want to copy to Word using the screenshot tool.

Step 4: Once the screenshot is captured, ask UPDF AI to “Extract Equation from PDF.”

Step 5: UPDF AI will give you the equations in text format. After that, you can click on the “Copy” icon on the top of the result, and paste them into a Word document.

And that’s how to copy math equations from PDF to Word using the screenshot feature in UPDF AI.

Method 4: Copy Equations from Scanned PDF to Word by OCR

Let's say you have a scanned PDF file with equations where the text is represented in image form. You can still copy the equations into an editable format using the OCR feature in UPDF.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Launch UPDF and open the scanned PDF with equations.

Step 2: Now click “Recognize Text Using OCR” from the menu on the right.

Step 3： Select “Searchable PDF” from the Document Type, set the layout, language, and other settings, and click “Perform OCR.”

Step 4: Once the OCR is complete, your scanned PDF will become editable. You can now save it as a Word file by clicking on “Export > Word > Retain Page Layout.”

These were the 4 ways in which you can easily copy equations from PDF to Word using UPDF. The first 3 methods are free to use. However, the OCR feature is only available in UPDF Pro. Therefore, if you want to take advantage of UPDF’s full suite of features, you can check out the pricing plans and make a purchase according to your requirements.

For more details on how to use UPDF and make your PDF experience easier, watch this video:

And don’t forget to read the detailed review by Laptop Media.

In the End

Whether you’re a student, a teacher, or a scientist, if you’re working on a PDF with basic or complex equations, you might need to copy them at some point.

In this comprehensive guide, we have put together 4 easy ways how to copy an equation from PDF to Word using UPDF. From simply copying and pasting the equations and converting the PDF to Word to using UDPF AI and OCR, we have discussed all the steps with images to help you out.

So, make working with your PDF a breeze; download UPDF now!