How to Bypass Copy Restrictions and Extract Text from Web Pages

The article shares practical methods for extracting text from websites that block copying, focusing on four main approaches.

1. Direct HTML Copy via Developer Tools

Open the browser’s developer console (press F12), locate the desired text in the HTML source, and copy it directly. This works well for small snippets but may include HTML tags such as <p> and <br>, making it less suitable for large amounts of text.

2. Disabling JavaScript Checks with a Console Command

When a site shows a login or payment prompt after copying, the page’s JavaScript is triggering the block. By entering $=0 in the console and pressing Enter, the script’s execution is disrupted, allowing text to be copied without the pop‑up. This method works on many sites but fails if the console is disabled or additional copy‑prevention mechanisms are in place.

3. Using a Browser Extension (Simple Allow Copy)

Install the Simple Allow Copy extension for the browser. After activation, click the extension’s icon to enable unrestricted copying on the current page. The icon lights up, indicating the feature is active, and you can then copy text normally. This extension is especially handy for sites that block the usual Ctrl+C shortcut.

4. Downloading Baidu Docs with a Dedicated Tool

For Baidu Docs, which require login and points to copy or download content, the article recommends a Windows program called 冰点文库 . After extracting the executable, run it (no installation needed), paste the Baidu Docs URL into the tool, and the software will download the document. The tool also works for some other document‑hosting sites.

5. Last‑Resort Method: Screenshot + OCR

If all other techniques fail, capture a screenshot of the protected text and use an OCR service (e.g., QQ Image Recognition) to convert the image back into editable text. This method is more cumbersome and may produce inaccurate results, but it can retrieve content from any site.

Each method has its own constraints, and users should be aware of legal and ethical considerations when copying copyrighted material.