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pdfClaw Online PDF Tool User Guide

Author: pdfClaw Published: 2026-03-20 19:58

1. Tool Overview

pdfClaw is a free, no-registration-required, ready-to-use online PDF processing toolbox that supports format conversion, OCR recognition, document editing, and more — all in one place. No client installation needed; simply open your browser to get started. Files are immediately deleted after processing to ensure your privacy and security.

2. Core Feature Operation Guide

(1) Format Conversion Features

1. PDF to Word

  1. Open the pdfClaw website and click the PDF to Word module in the feature list.
  2. Click the "Select File" button to upload a PDF from your local folder, or drag and drop the file into the upload area.
  3. Once uploaded, the system automatically detects the file format — no additional settings required.
  4. Click the Start Conversion button and wait 3–10 seconds (larger files may take slightly longer).
  5. After conversion, the page displays a "Conversion Successful" message. Click Download File to get an editable Word document (preserving original text, images, and table formatting).

2. PDF to PPT

  1. Go to the website and click the PDF to PPT feature entry.
  2. Upload a PDF file (supports single file upload; recommended size: under 50MB per file).
  3. No manual page-splitting required — the system automatically splits based on original PDF pages, generating one slide per page.
  4. Click Start Conversion and wait for the progress to complete.
  5. Click Download to get the PPT file, ready for presentations or further editing.

3. PDF to Excel

  1. Select the PDF to Excel feature module.
  2. Upload a PDF containing tabular data (supports scanned PDFs when combined with OCR).
  3. The system automatically recognizes table structures — no manual selection needed.
  4. Click Start Conversion and wait for data extraction and format adaptation.
  5. Download the Excel file after conversion — table data corresponds exactly to the original PDF, ready for statistical analysis.

4. Convert to E-book (EPUB/MOBI)

  1. Click the Convert to E-book feature (if not displayed, it is an upcoming feature — stay tuned for updates).
  2. Upload PDF files for conversion; batch upload supported (up to 5 files at once).
  3. Select the target format from the dropdown menu (EPUB or MOBI).
  4. Check the "Preserve Layout" option (checked by default) to maintain chapter structure consistent with the original PDF.
  5. Click Start Conversion . Once complete, click Batch Download to get e-book files compatible with various readers.

(2) Recognition & Extraction Features

1. PDF OCR Recognition

  1. Go to the PDF OCR Recognition feature page.
  2. Upload a scanned PDF, photo-based PDF, or PDF containing text within images.
  3. Select the recognition language (supports Chinese-English mixed text by default; can switch to Chinese-only or English-only).
  4. To recognize handwritten text, check the "Handwriting Recognition" option (off by default).
  5. Click Start Recognition . The system automatically extracts text and generates a searchable, copyable PDF.
  6. After recognition, preview text accuracy online. Once confirmed, click Download .

2. Image Export

  1. Click the Image Export feature module.
  2. Upload the target PDF file (supports single files up to 100MB).
  3. Select export mode:
    - Mode 1: Extract embedded images (exports only standalone images within the PDF).
    - Mode 2: Page-to-image (converts each PDF page to a PNG image).
  4. Check "High Quality Export" (checked by default for clear images).
  5. Click Start Export . Once complete, the system generates a zip file. Click Download Zip to get all images.

(3) Document Editing Features

1. PDF Merge

  1. Go to the PDF Merge feature page.
  2. Click "Add Files" to upload multiple PDFs, or drag files into the workspace (supports mixed uploads of PDFs, images, and Office documents).
  3. Rearrange the merge order by dragging file names up or down in the file list.
  4. To standardize page sizes, check "Auto-fit A4 Size" (off by default; useful for printing).
  5. Click Start Merge and wait for file consolidation.
  6. Once merged, click Download Merged File to get the complete PDF.

2. PDF Split

  1. Select the PDF Split feature.
  2. Upload the PDF file to be split.
  3. Choose a split method:
    - By page range: Enter specific pages (e.g., "3-5,8,12-" to split pages 3–5, page 8, and page 12 onward).
    - Split evenly: Choose pages per file (e.g., "5 pages per file").
    - Manual selection: Check desired pages via page thumbnails.
  4. Click Start Split . The system automatically generates multiple sub-PDF files.
  5. Click Batch Download to get all split files, or download individual sub-files.

3. PDF Compression

  1. Go to the PDF Compression feature page.
  2. Upload PDFs to compress (supports batch upload, up to 3 files at a time).
  3. Select compression mode:
    - Standard Compression: Balances clarity and file size (default mode).
    - High Compression: Further reduces size for web transfers (slight clarity reduction).
    - Lossless Compression: Optimizes file structure only without quality loss (ideal for image-heavy PDFs).
  4. Click Start Compression and wait for completion (compression ratio approximately 30%–70%).
  5. Preview the compressed file clarity. Once confirmed, click Download .

4. Add Watermark

  1. Click the Watermark feature module (upcoming feature).
  2. Upload the PDF file to watermark.
  3. Select watermark type:
    - Text watermark: Enter watermark text (e.g., "Copyright"), set font, size, color, transparency, and rotation angle.
    - Image watermark: Click "Upload Image" and select a PNG/JPG watermark image (transparent background recommended).
  4. Adjust watermark position (centered, tiled, custom coordinates) and set watermark layer (foreground/background).
  5. Click Preview Watermark to check the effect. Modify parameters if needed.
  6. Once confirmed, click Apply Watermark . Download the watermarked PDF after completion.

5. Electronic Signature

  1. Go to the Signature feature page (upcoming feature).
  2. Upload the PDF to be signed.
  3. Select signature type:
    - Electronic signature: Enter your name, choose a preset signature style (handwriting-like font), set color and size.
    - Handwritten signature: Write your signature on the screen canvas using a mouse or stylus; supports undo and rewrite.
    - Image signature: Upload an existing signature image (high-resolution PNG recommended).
  4. Click on the target location in the PDF page, place the signature icon, and drag to adjust position and size.
  5. To add a signing date, check "Add Date" and set the date format and position.
  6. Click Confirm Signing . Download the signed PDF after completion — suitable for printing or electronic transmission.

6. PDF Translation

  1. Click the PDF Translation feature module (upcoming feature).
  2. Upload the PDF to translate (supports single files up to 20MB).
  3. Select source language ("Auto Detect" by default) and target language (e.g., Chinese → English, English → Japanese).
  4. Check "Preserve Original Layout" (checked by default to maintain translation formatting consistent with the source).
  5. Click Start Translation and wait for completion (translation speed: approximately 1,000 words/minute).
  6. Preview the translation online and adjust terminology consistency if needed.
  7. Click Download Translation , choose export format (PDF/Word/TXT), and get the translated file.

3. General Usage Notes

  1. All features require no registration or login — open your browser and start using them with no ad interruptions.
  2. Files are temporarily stored only during processing and are immediately deleted afterward — no data is leaked.
  3. Supported browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, and other mainstream browsers (latest version recommended).
  4. If conversion fails, possible causes include: corrupted file, oversized file, or network fluctuations. Try repairing the file, processing in batches, or switching networks.
  5. For scanned PDFs, use the OCR feature for text editing. Make sure OCR recognition is enabled before converting.
  6. After downloading, save files promptly. Download links expire after the page is closed (no retention period).

4. Common Troubleshooting

  1. Cannot upload file? → Check file format (PDF only) and file size (max 100MB per upload). Clear browser cache and try again.
  2. Layout distorted after conversion? → Ensure the "Preserve Layout" option is checked. If still abnormal, re-upload the file or try a different compression mode.
  3. Low OCR recognition accuracy? → Ensure the uploaded scan/image is clear; avoid blurry or tilted images. Manually adjust the recognition language if needed.
  4. Download link expired? → Re-run the corresponding feature to generate a new download link (links are valid for 1 hour).