Paste the source
Copy selectable text from a PDF reader and paste it into the Source pane. The original remains untouched while you compare results.
Private-by-design text cleanupNo upload · no signup
Clean text copied
from a PDF.
Preserve explicit paragraph breaks, join likely visual wraps, repair likely split words, and inspect the change report—right in your browser.
Prune formatting noise—not your words.
Beforecopied from PDF
Research notes often keep the visual
line wraps used on a printed page.
Aftercleaned by CopyPrune
Research notes often keep the visual line wraps used on a printed page.
SourceUntouched input
0 words · 0 chars
Your text is processed in this browser.
CleanedReady for result
0 words · 0 chars
Nothing is changed until you choose Clean text.
Paste copied PDF text to begin.
Proof report
See what changed—and what did not.
The report comes from the same deterministic operations that created the result. It does not infer changes after the fact.
0wraps joined
0split words repaired
0structure signals detected
0needs review
No proof report yet
Load the example or paste your own copied text, then choose Clean text.
Browser-only document handling
We do not intentionally send your pasted text to our servers, analytics, URLs, or local storage. Clear removes it from this page’s runtime state.
01Untouched source
Every rule reruns from what you pasted.
02Visible restraint
Uncertain boundaries stay for review.
03Exact handoff
Copy and download match the result.
How careful cleanup worksA proofing desk,
A proofing desk,
not a guessing box.
CopyPrune follows a deterministic set of readable rules. The cleaner protects obvious structure, makes only the repairs allowed by your mode and settings, and builds the proof report from the actual operations.
Choose the restraint
Careful is the default. Standard joins more probable wraps. Flatten is available when you genuinely want one continuous block.
Inspect the report
See recorded wraps, repaired words, normalized glyphs, protected structure, and boundaries the careful mode declined to guess about.
Transformation pipeline
Normalize→Classify lines→Protect structure→Apply repairs→Build ledger
Read the full methodology →Native before-and-after examples
Four common PDF copy problems.
The examples below describe what this browser utility is designed to handle. CopyPrune does not upload PDFs, perform OCR, or reconstruct a multi-column page.
Visual line wraps
Before
A printed page wraps text at a fixed width even when the paragraph continues.
After
A printed page wraps text at a fixed width even when the paragraph continues.
Likely visual wraps become spaces; explicit blank-line paragraphs remain.
Split words
Before
The report demon- strated a repeatable result.
After
The report demonstrated a repeatable result.
Likely end-of-line splits can lose the hyphen. Inspect recorded changes for legitimate compounds.
Lists and headings
Before
NEXT STEPS 1. Review the text 2. Copy the result
After
NEXT STEPS 1. Review the text 2. Copy the result
Obvious structure is protected instead of being flattened into prose.
Ligatures and spacing
Before
The final file contains hidden spacing.
After
The final file contains hidden spacing.
Common PDF ligatures and invisible formatting characters become ordinary text.
Three modes
Use the least force that solves the problem.
Careful mode protects uncertainty. The stronger modes exist for messier source text, but they should receive more human review.
Careful
Joins likely visual wraps, repairs likely split words, and protects explicit paragraph breaks plus enabled headings, lists, and structured rows.
Best for research notes and ordinary prose that you can review.Standard
Joins more single line boundaries while still protecting the clearest document structure. Its changes are labeled medium confidence.
Best when the copied paragraph is visibly fragmented.Flatten
Repairs likely split words when that rule is enabled, then replaces the remaining line and paragraph breaks with spaces. Layout structure is intentionally removed.
Best only when one continuous text block is required.What CopyPrune fixes—and what it cannotBuilt for copied text,
Built for copied text,
not PDF archaeology.
PDFs describe visual placement, not always the reading structure a writer expects. CopyPrune works after a PDF reader has already provided selectable text.
See every rule and limitation →Handles
- Likely visual prose line wraps
- Likely split words at line endings
- Common typographic ligatures
- Soft hyphens and selected invisible spacing characters
- Repeated spacing outside table-like rows
Does not handle
- Scanned pages or OCR
- PDF uploads or extraction
- Multi-column reading order
- Tables reconstructed from coordinates
- Headers and footers without page boundaries
Document handling
Your pasted text stays in this browser.
CopyPrune’s cleaning engine runs on your device. We do not intentionally send document text to our servers, put it in URLs, retain it in local storage, or include it in analytics events.
Google Analytics loads only after a visitor accepts analytics. It may receive ordinary device, network, and usage information, but never the source or cleaned text.
Read the privacy policy →FAQ
Before you paste.
How do I remove unwanted line breaks from copied PDF text?+
Paste selectable PDF text into the Source pane, keep Careful mode selected, and choose Clean text. CopyPrune joins likely visual line wraps while keeping explicit blank-line paragraph breaks and enabled document structure.
How do I fix words split across PDF line breaks?+
Keep Repair split words enabled. CopyPrune can join a line-ending hyphen with a likely lowercase continuation and records the change for inspection. Because legitimate hyphenated compounds exist, review the cleaned text before using it.
Can CopyPrune clean an uploaded PDF?+
No. CopyPrune intentionally accepts only text you have already copied. This avoids misleading promises about OCR, reading order, tables, and scanned pages.
Will it preserve every paragraph perfectly?+
No tool can recover every PDF’s intended structure from copied text alone. Careful mode protects blank-line paragraphs and obvious structure, then flags uncertain boundaries instead of silently joining them.
Does it use AI?+
No. CopyPrune uses deterministic browser-based rules. The same source, mode, and rule settings produce the same output and proof ledger.
Can I use confidential or regulated documents?+
CopyPrune does not claim compliance or suitability for confidential legal, medical, financial, or regulated information. Follow your organization’s data-handling requirements.
What happens when I choose Clear?+
After confirmation, the source, cleaned result, and proof report are removed from this page’s runtime state. Document text is not saved in browser storage.
Method record
Transparent rules · documented limits
The cleaner is an editorial heuristic, not a language model or laboratory-validated reconstruction system. Its rule definitions and limitations are published so results can be evaluated honestly.
Technical references: Unicode normalization and browser clipboard behavior.
Ready when you are
Open the cleaner Clean copied PDF text in your browser.
Paste selectable text, choose the level of cleanup, and inspect the result before copying.