How is this different from a generic PDF-to-text extractor?

Generic extractors flatten your PDF into raw text and lose the layout. Our purpose-built pipeline reads each page like a human reader would, then rebuilds it as real LaTeX — sections, equations, tables, lists and figures stay where they belong, page by page.

How accurately is the original PDF reproduced?

The goal is a near 1:1 rebuild of the source document. The same number of pages, the same headings, the same equations and tables — as an editable LaTeX project you can keep working on in Overleaf.

What do I receive after conversion?

An editable LaTeX project (main.tex plus assets), a compiled PDF render, and a side-by-side comparison of every page so you can verify the result before exporting.

Can I open the export in Overleaf?

Yes. The exported ZIP is structured so Overleaf compiles main.tex on the first try — no missing packages, no manual restructuring.

Research paper PDF to LaTeX

Convert a research paper PDF back into editable LaTeX

document-to-latex helps researchers rebuild a paper PDF as source code for revisions, template changes, and follow-up projects.

Upload a PDF View pricing Why document-to-latex

Use case

For papers, preprints, and technical manuscripts

Research papers often need a second life after the PDF is created: a new conference template, a journal revision, an arXiv update, or a coauthor edit.

If the source is missing or inconvenient to recover, a PDF-to-LaTeX rebuild can give you a practical starting point.

The converter focuses on paper-like structure: title, sections, equations, tables, captions, and references as visible content.

Workflow

Paper conversion workflow

01
Upload the paper PDF, ideally the cleanest final or preprint version.
02
Generate a LaTeX project with sections, math, tables, and visible references.
03
Compare each rendered page to the original PDF.
04
Adjust citations, bibliography handling, and template structure.
05
Export to Overleaf or your local editor for revision work.

Benefits

Useful for research workflows

Helps recover editable source for old papers and preprints.

Supports math and table reconstruction for technical manuscripts.

Makes template migration easier than rebuilding from a blank file.

Keeps original and generated pages side by side for review.

Lets coauthors continue in Overleaf after import.

Limitations

Research-specific checks

Bibliographies may need to be rebuilt as BibTeX rather than plain text.
Publisher templates, class files, and custom macros usually require manual work.
Figure quality depends on extraction and the original PDF assets.
Review citations, equations, and tables before resubmission.

FAQ

Common questions

Can I use this for a published paper?

You can convert your own material or material you have rights to edit. Respect publisher and copyright rules.

Will citations become BibTeX entries?

Visible references may be reconstructed as document content. A full BibTeX database may need manual rebuilding.

Does it support two-column papers?

It is designed for academic layouts, including common paper formats, but dense two-column pages require careful review.

Can I move the result to a new journal template?

Yes, but template migration still requires LaTeX editing after the conversion.

Is this useful for arXiv updates?

It can help recover editable source from a PDF, but you should verify arXiv and coauthor requirements before uploading.

Keep exploring

Continue with nearby converter pages, pricing, or the product overview.

Start with your own document

Convert, compare, then edit

Upload a PDF, inspect the generated LaTeX render beside the original, and review before submitting or sharing the result.

Start a conversion View pricing