# PDF Form Data Export Read AcroForm field names, types and current values from a PDF and export them to JSON > Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/pdf-form-data-export - **Category:** PDF Tools - **Keywords:** pdf, form, acroform, export, fields, extract, xfa ## Overview Reads the AcroForm of a PDF and exports every field — name, type, current value, options — as a JSON string shown directly in the output area (no file download). This is the inverse of the PDF form filler: it only reads and never modifies the source PDF. Pure-JS via pdf-lib. ## Inputs - **PDF File** (file): Upload a PDF containing a form - **Include Empty Fields** (checkbox): Include fields that have no value in the export - **Include Field Options** (checkbox): Include available options for radio/dropdown/list fields ## When to use - When you need to inspect the field names and structure of a blank PDF form template before writing automation scripts to fill it. - When you want to extract user-submitted data from filled PDF forms and convert it into JSON for database insertion or API payloads. - When you need to verify the available options in dropdowns, radio buttons, or checkboxes within a PDF form. ## How it works - Upload your PDF file containing AcroForm fields into the tool. - Configure extraction options, such as whether to include empty fields or field options like dropdown choices. - The tool parses the PDF's AcroForm structure in the browser using pdf-lib and outputs the extracted field data as a JSON string. ## Use cases - Mapping PDF form field names to database columns for automated data entry pipelines. - Extracting customer responses from filled application forms to import into a CRM system. - Auditing PDF templates to verify field properties like read-only status and required flags. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does this tool modify my original PDF file? No, this tool only reads the AcroForm data and does not alter or save changes to your source PDF. ### Can I extract options from dropdowns and radio buttons? Yes, by enabling the 'Include Field Options' setting, the tool will export all available choices for selection fields. ### Does this tool support XFA forms? The tool extracts standard AcroForm fields; XFA-specific layout data is not fully parsed or converted. ### Are my PDF files uploaded to a server? No, all processing is done locally in your web browser using JavaScript, ensuring your document data remains private. ### Why are some fields missing from the JSON output? If fields are empty, ensure the 'Include Empty Fields' option is checked to prevent them from being filtered out. ## Related tools - [PDF Annotation Export](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/pdf-annotation-export): Extract existing annotations (highlights, comments, stamps, links, markup) from a PDF into JSON - [OCR PDF to Structured JSON Bridge](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/ocr-pdf-to-structured-json-bridge): Extract the PDF text layer with geometry (lines by y-position, tables by column gaps, headings by font size, colon key-value pairs), then fill a user-supplied JSON Schema field by field — labels matched by normalized keys, values coerced to declared types and validated with ajv. - [PDF Table Extractor to CSV/JSON](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/pdf-table-extractor-to-csv-json): Extract tables from PDFs with OpenDataLoader and export them as structured JSON, flat CSV, or HTML tables - [PDF to JSON Structure Explorer](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/pdf-to-json-structure-explorer): Extract structured OpenDataLoader JSON from a PDF and browse headings, paragraphs, tables, lists, pages, and bounding boxes in an explorer view - [Encrypted PDF Converter](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/encrypted-pdf-converter): Open password-protected PDFs with OpenDataLoader and export them as Markdown, JSON, or text once the correct password is provided - [Fitness Workout PDF Generator](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/fitness-workout-pdf-generator): Generate a printable workout-plan PDF from JSON or CSV data with exercise tables, progress boxes, and optional QR video links - [PDF Page Range Extractor](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/pdf-page-range-extractor): Extract only selected PDF pages with OpenDataLoader and export the subset as Markdown, JSON, or text - [Rich Text JSON to PDF](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/richtext-json-to-pdf): Convert TipTap, Quill, or Slate JSON exports into a styled PDF document ## Samples - [PDF Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/pdf-samples): Generated PDF samples from tools dated 2026-02-01 to 2026-02-10 - [Markdown Slide Deck Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/md-slide-deck-to-pdf): Remark/Marp style Markdown slide decks for testing PDF export layouts - [WebRTC Real-Time Communication Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/webrtc-samples): Comprehensive WebRTC samples for peer-to-peer audio/video communication, data channels, screen sharing, and signaling server implementation - [CSV Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/csv-samples): Sample CSV files with various data types, sizes, and complexity levels