Help and product notes

Paper Reader is a local-first PDF reading and text-to-Word conversion prototype. It is designed to work in a modern browser on phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers.

Read a PDF

1. Choose Open PDF, or drag a PDF into the home area.
2. Use page controls, zoom, fit-to-width, text search, or print.
3. To open a recent document again, select its file from your device. The browser remembers the name only.

Convert PDF to Word

1. Choose PDF to Word, then select a PDF.
2. Choose Convert to Word. The app extracts text and downloads a .docx.

Conversion preserves selectable text and approximate line order. Scanned pages need OCR, which is not included. Tables, images, complex columns, exact fonts, and page layout may not transfer. Review the Word file before using it.

Privacy and requirements

Selected PDF data is processed in the browser and is not uploaded by this app. The app does load PDF.js and the Word document generator from public CDNs, so an internet connection is required. Do not use public hosting for confidential source files; this site contains application code and help content only.

Compared with Foxit PDF Reader

Foxit’s published free Reader features include viewing and printing, annotation and comments, form filling, and signing across web, desktop, and mobile. This prototype currently has reading, navigation, basic search, printing, and early text-only PDF-to-Word conversion. It does not yet provide annotation, form filling, signature, OCR, or native app packages. PDF-to-Word and OCR are listed by Foxit as Editor features rather than free Reader features.

Paper Reader uses its own name, layout, icons, and teal accent color. It is an independent prototype, not an official Foxit product.

Known limitations

• Password-protected, damaged, or unusual PDFs may fail to open.
• Recent files store names only; the browser does not retain the selected documents.
• Scanned PDFs are not searchable or convertible without OCR.
• Browser support and output quality need validation against real documents.

Developer notes

For local use, run a static web server in the app folder, then visit http://localhost:8000. See free hosting instructions and the feature comparison.