Boneyard Tools

PDF Link Extractor

Drop in a PDF to pull out every link it contains. The tool scans the document for URI link actions and any web or email addresses in the text, classifies each as an external link or an email, removes duplicates, and lists them so you can review or copy them all. The file is read entirely in your browser and never uploaded.

How to extract links from a PDF

  1. Drag a PDF onto the box, or click browse to pick one.
  2. Read the list of links found, each tagged as an external URL or an email.
  3. Click any link to open it, or use Copy all to grab the full list.

Examples

A report with footnote links

whitepaper.pdf (a PDF with citation links and a contact email)
12 links: 11 external URLs and 1 mailto email, duplicates removed

Frequently asked questions

Is my PDF uploaded anywhere?

No. The PDF is read and scanned entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing is sent to a server, so even confidential documents stay on your device.

How does it find the links?

It scans the PDF for URI link actions, which is how clickable links are stored, and also catches any http, https, or mailto addresses written in the text. Each result is classified as an external link or an email and duplicates are removed.

Why are some links in my PDF missing?

This tool reads uncompressed content only. Many PDFs store their pages in compressed (FlateDecode) streams, and links inside those compressed sections are not visible here. Links in uncompressed objects and metadata are extracted.

What is the difference between an external link and an email?

Links that start with mailto: are addresses that open your mail app and are tagged as email. Everything else, such as http and https web addresses, is tagged as an external link.

Does it download or follow the links?

No. The tool only lists the links it finds in the file. Nothing is fetched or followed, and the links open only if you click them yourself.

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