diff --git a/ATTRIBUTION.toml b/ATTRIBUTION.toml
index 919c6fe6..c3b12f87 100644
--- a/ATTRIBUTION.toml
+++ b/ATTRIBUTION.toml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "Simplified Chinese UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "da2072af0bc5ac8f4b638cf2bd22ea81edddad32e534d3284ebeac205fb3d5a2"
+sha256 = "90c0df152b440991ba6654812961dd885674e9b9e93c37d66a3d241df71bd28a"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hant.tsv"
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "Traditional Chinese UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "816a5e459259a8f2f4aa780157b63d4ab9098a34b2166957c13bbedda3cdbbb9"
+sha256 = "2d4027cb7577efab49f523879873fefda78efb743e091a178fa1f92df37203cc"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/cs.tsv"
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "Czech UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "ca9722c4240eb202085ac26c0c0db534ccd3db225ee3331675cd180f28d3dc2b"
+sha256 = "f973d0a66f4dae804bd308ac828ef5688c2336fd787724104253f72c1fab7446"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pt-br.tsv"
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "Brazilian Portuguese UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "505a9def1e292d39e2973b2e1039a4d272b87ede3df844fb182c68de6a438894"
+sha256 = "bd2d867653f3b5089941e52c1964028d91c164138e7142728b0d81e4b8dd295c"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/es.tsv"
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "Spanish UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "8dfca1bb531bef33ca1e0fcb001d548a064dfbf58d67301545b9b4e630a76695"
+sha256 = "38f53f6e2413fddb747c362a1354d6627ded42f9bfc1e718cc61b90eeec5b980"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/fr.tsv"
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "French UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "c6c0b185b418af93cd1a1fff6126483bc3a70147b2e97a4b14a76bcc712b6f01"
+sha256 = "4f58ca9ef332e525277bdf6f9a8259d34b38f2c1607b1b5952fcc5e341c990ab"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/de.tsv"
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "German UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "4287803114c8757aff013e559af65366ecf349e5ecc83bad90a2b5854a0aa971"
+sha256 = "8f004e5abf2d5977771991b4f9e7296367b7e3911e5460e599550ce45c5a603e"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/te.tsv"
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "Telugu UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "abf2d9d5b3f1a216784585dd13d2e9052edd0b8f77fee2650e4ee2c0b5154fb7"
+sha256 = "2454a4c6c6825b53ed259927bfc5ad914b0f7b88bb9418ccbb6c60053f4f58d0"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/it.tsv"
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "Italian UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "194b4aadbafeeba02e8885dbce008c356b398d6bfff144e9ac30ad3796066775"
+sha256 = "8c9e0815bb64a06f3cd3536649560183ba17a02928d6aed834ba895b8a51c0fc"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ru.tsv"
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "Russian UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "ce8a974c0e05aad532e6a91d604d132f278f1554966b8498e0850eb527918fe7"
+sha256 = "0c794ec4c554485a4f306010550516ae1e4d05ddf9a4f707f01a023839e516f0"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/hu.tsv"
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "Hungarian UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "09d3c394a5e5d1fb1674bc7356254055469daa5499324f595119b7fed73aba7c"
+sha256 = "667849f4f8082ab6622c8d644fdc29f6db0cc05035c5b93faab2ee0e5b0b1bf6"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/bg.tsv"
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "Bulgarian UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "f0fe873d28d4ffdd613847199b2285f73350536f5e70fefccb357e226192fc93"
+sha256 = "ad3ce6eb44c7b5b10180c574f6c91ef6e56eac833a1b385afae873ad794612cc"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ja.tsv"
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "Japanese UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "ca8fef2dad11a3b5c5dcc759676601ee46929d6b7e99c8e62418b9bafe86b0f5"
+sha256 = "895ec4f4814f74bcadc3c949735fa3cf4907255e9807367fe2c7a5e2875e5764"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/uk.tsv"
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "Ukrainian UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "bd314fdd94d13a07a9e6cd38ebc10d91a99a51fec49bdbcb0a3743b797104c9c"
+sha256 = "89fd25329037709bac9dafbdf63e08ee22d4a5d3d99c70671614e5e5e0ac65a5"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ar.tsv"
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ licence = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 licence_file = "LICENSE-MIT"
 kind = "translation"
 usage = "Arabic UI strings, compiled in by crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/mod.rs"
-sha256 = "0b608fdeaef7087158d64cab06cade594b8fb6d9f1fc6b87a261ccd8cec26681"
+sha256 = "fad8447c713a75691b29b4395d55368a6154df568b5bb67a26eaee00bdfb6459"
 
 [[asset]]
 path = "assets/icons/accessibility.svg"
diff --git a/ROADMAP.md b/ROADMAP.md
index 48d9e8d0..5949645f 100644
--- a/ROADMAP.md
+++ b/ROADMAP.md
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ Newest first: the date, what moved, and the new overall estimate.
 - **2026-10-10 (M10.2, JPEG scanning follow-up to #729):** Skip marker fill bytes and keep reading JFIF, APP14 and ICC metadata after the frame header, stopping before scan data or at EOI. Invalid segment lengths return errors; damaged or mismatched ICC profiles retain #729's device-space fallback. Synthetic regression cases added but not run at the contributor's request. Estimates unchanged.
 - **2026-10-10 (M13, desktop action outputs):** Desktop Action Wizard keeps every result when input basenames repeat, or when the destination already has a result from an earlier run. It preserves the original filename and extension for a free name and adds numbered suffixes for occupied names; the bounded search returns an error rather than reusing an occupied path. A real-shell regression drives Start twice and reopens the three-page and one-page results, checking that the original inputs and earlier output remain intact. This covers the desktop writer separately from the CLI/MCP action_run repair in #877. Milestone and effort estimates unchanged.
 
+- **2026-10-10 (M3, #740):** Column select, as in Acrobat: holding Alt (Option on macOS) when a drag starts selects only the text inside the rectangle, with the Select tool, the text markup tools and Redact; Edit ▸ Column select does it with a plain drag, for Linux desktops whose window manager takes Alt-drag (Xfce, Cinnamon, MATE, KDE Plasma 5 by default). Copy gives rows top to bottom with tab-separated cells (right to left in right-to-left rows, reading order for vertical text); `text_extract` takes the same rectangle as `rect`. The new label is in all 15 catalogs. Also repaired `parity/acrobat-features.toml`, which #650 had left unparseable (duplicate keys on `form.field-list`). Still missing: column selection across pages and ⇧-click extension. Estimates unchanged.
 - **2026-10-10 (progress docs, hours per audience):** Each readiness number gets its own hours to ≈ 95%: full ≈ 49% / 780–1,400 h, mainstream ≈ 55% / 500–900 h, essentials ≈ 66% / 180–330 h. The full number is now the standard's additive weighted sum over the dimensions (written weights), 47% → 49%: method aligned with the standard, no new evidence. Beta ≈ 26 points, ≈ 400–700 h.
 - **2026-10-10 (progress docs, gate consistency check):** Re-judged the convert-and-share row with the rule applied across all Crafting Apps (a workflow blocks only when it can't be completed at all; lossy exchange and missing sub-cases are beta items, as for FilmCraft's .prproj or VectorCraft's .ai). Unencrypted sharing works, encryption interop (#774) and Office→PDF are sub-cases, Word export is lossy rather than absent: partial, not blocking. **Stage pre-alpha → alpha**; numbers unchanged (47%, mainstream 55%; beta ≈ 400–700 h). Added an essentials-user score: ≈ 66% for someone who only opens, reads, comments, fills, signs, prints and rearranges pages.
 - **2026-10-10 (progress docs, second look and alpha gate):** At the owner's request, after practitioners praised PdfCraft, re-examined the numbers. User sentiment: 7,595 stars, 177k + 39k downloads of 0.4.0/0.5.0, 23 user issues with explicit praise and switching reports (#179, #232, #273), issue themes concentrated in core paths (launch/GPU, rendering, editing, CJK, signing, printing). The checklist is not niche-dominated (497 mainstream vs 311 specialist rows; P0 95% / 91%). The first pass's 9-point cross-cutting deduction double-counted Windows printing, interop and glyphs: **ready for real work 40% → 47%**, and **≈ 55% for the mainstream practitioner** (new). The new core-workflow gate (craftrules progress-docs) fails on convert and share (#774, no Office import, #773): **stage alpha → pre-alpha**, ≈ 40–70 h from alpha; beta still ≈ 400–700 h.
diff --git a/crates/automation/src/lib.rs b/crates/automation/src/lib.rs
index 9aba0c7d..6ed206a6 100644
--- a/crates/automation/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/automation/src/lib.rs
@@ -1453,8 +1453,14 @@ impl Automation {
             Some(_) => self.pages(a, "pages")?,
             None => (0..doc.info.pages.len()).collect(),
         };
+        // Column select (#740): only the text inside the rectangle, row by row.
+        let rect = a.nums::<4>("rect")?.map(|r| r.map(|v| v as f32));
         let texts = self.page_texts(id, &pages)?;
-        let out: Vec<Value> = pages.iter().zip(texts).map(|(p, t)| json!({ "page": p + 1, "text": t.plain_text() })).collect();
+        let text = |t: &PageText| match rect {
+            Some(r) => t.column_text(&t.glyphs_in(r)),
+            None => t.plain_text(),
+        };
+        let out: Vec<Value> = pages.iter().zip(texts).map(|(p, t)| json!({ "page": p + 1, "text": text(&t) })).collect();
         Ok(json!({ "pages": out }))
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/automation/src/tools.rs b/crates/automation/src/tools.rs
index 88fd8b7a..0935582b 100644
--- a/crates/automation/src/tools.rs
+++ b/crates/automation/src/tools.rs
@@ -150,9 +150,16 @@ pub fn tools() -> Vec<ToolDef> {
         t("page_render", "Render a page", "Render one page to a PNG image (default 96 dpi, at most 600).")
             .ro()
             .with(schema(json!({ "doc": doc(), "page": { "type": "integer", "minimum": 1 }, "dpi": { "type": "number", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 600 } }), &["doc", "page"])),
-        t("text_extract", "Extract text", "Extract the text of some or all pages, in reading order.")
+        t("text_extract", "Extract text", "Extract the text of some or all pages, in reading order. With rect, only the text inside that rectangle on each page, as Column select takes it: one row per visual line, side-by-side pieces (table cells) separated by a tab.")
             .ro()
-            .with(schema(json!({ "doc": doc(), "pages": pages("to extract (default: all)") }), &["doc"])),
+            .cmd("edit.column_select")
+            .with(schema(
+                json!({
+                    "doc": doc(), "pages": pages("to extract (default: all)"),
+                    "rect": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "number" }, "minItems": 4, "maxItems": 4, "description": "Column select: [x0, y0, x1, y1] in points from the top-left of the displayed page; a glyph counts when its centre is inside." }
+                }),
+                &["doc"],
+            )),
         t("text_find", "Find text", "Find a phrase (case-insensitive, whitespace-normalised) and return each match with its page and line rectangles in points (origin top-left).")
             .ro()
             .cmd("edit.find")
diff --git a/crates/automation/tests/automation.rs b/crates/automation/tests/automation.rs
index fae13b60..1790dc70 100644
--- a/crates/automation/tests/automation.rs
+++ b/crates/automation/tests/automation.rs
@@ -3723,3 +3723,68 @@ fn a_deleted_image_is_not_kept_by_reduce_or_optimize() {
     let reopened = ok(&mut a, "doc_open", json!({ "path": "reduced.pdf" }));
     assert_eq!(reopened["pages"], 1);
 }
+
+/// A two-page PDF with the same three-row table ("Name Qty / Apple 12 / Pear 7"); the second
+/// page is turned with /Rotate 90.
+fn table_pdf() -> Vec<u8> {
+    let body = "BT /F1 12 Tf 20 250 Td (Name) Tj 130 0 Td (Qty) Tj -130 -20 Td (Apple) Tj 130 0 Td (12) Tj -130 -20 Td (Pear) Tj 130 0 Td (7) Tj ET";
+    let objs = [
+        "<< /Type /Catalog /Pages 2 0 R >>".to_string(),
+        "<< /Type /Pages /Kids [4 0 R 5 0 R] /Count 2 /MediaBox [0 0 300 300] >>".to_string(),
+        "<< /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /BaseFont /Helvetica >>".to_string(),
+        "<< /Type /Page /Parent 2 0 R /Contents 6 0 R /Resources << /Font << /F1 3 0 R >> >> >>".to_string(),
+        "<< /Type /Page /Parent 2 0 R /Rotate 90 /Contents 6 0 R /Resources << /Font << /F1 3 0 R >> >> >>".to_string(),
+        format!("<< /Length {} >>\nstream\n{body}\nendstream", body.len()),
+    ];
+    let mut out = b"%PDF-1.7\n".to_vec();
+    let mut offsets = Vec::new();
+    for (i, o) in objs.iter().enumerate() {
+        offsets.push(out.len());
+        out.extend_from_slice(format!("{} 0 obj\n{o}\nendobj\n", i + 1).as_bytes());
+    }
+    let xref = out.len();
+    out.extend_from_slice(format!("xref\n0 {}\n0000000000 65535 f \n", objs.len() + 1).as_bytes());
+    for o in offsets {
+        out.extend_from_slice(format!("{o:010} 00000 n \n").as_bytes());
+    }
+    out.extend_from_slice(format!("trailer\n<< /Size {} /Root 1 0 R >>\nstartxref\n{xref}\n%%EOF\n", objs.len() + 1).as_bytes());
+    out
+}
+
+/// Issue #740: `text_extract` with `rect` takes what Column select takes, in the displayed-page
+/// coordinates `text_find` reports, on upright and turned pages alike.
+#[test]
+fn text_extract_with_a_rect_takes_one_column() {
+    let dir = workdir("column");
+    std::fs::write(dir.join("table.pdf"), table_pdf()).unwrap();
+    let mut a = auto(&dir);
+    let doc = ok(&mut a, "doc_open", json!({ "path": "table.pdf" }))["doc"].as_u64().unwrap();
+    let reading = ok(&mut a, "text_extract", json!({ "doc": doc, "pages": [1] }));
+    assert_eq!(reading["pages"][0]["text"], "Name\nApple\nPear\nQty\n12\n7", "reading order is column by column");
+
+    for page in [1u64, 2] {
+        // The box around "Qty" and "7", as text_find reports them on this page.
+        let rect_of = |a: &mut Automation, q: &str| -> [f64; 4] {
+            let found = ok(a, "text_find", json!({ "doc": doc, "query": q }));
+            let m = found["matches"].as_array().unwrap().iter().find(|m| m["page"] == page).unwrap().clone();
+            let r: Vec<f64> = m["rects"][0].as_array().unwrap().iter().map(|v| v.as_f64().unwrap()).collect();
+            [r[0], r[1], r[2], r[3]]
+        };
+        let (qty, seven) = (rect_of(&mut a, "Qty"), rect_of(&mut a, "7"));
+        let rect = [qty[0].min(seven[0]) - 2.0, qty[1].min(seven[1]) - 2.0, qty[2].max(seven[2]) + 2.0, qty[3].max(seven[3]) + 2.0];
+        let column = ok(&mut a, "text_extract", json!({ "doc": doc, "pages": [page], "rect": rect }));
+        assert_eq!(column["pages"][0]["text"], "Qty\n12\n7", "page {page}, rect {rect:?}");
+    }
+
+    // The whole table, row by row with tab-separated cells (upright page).
+    let all = ok(&mut a, "text_extract", json!({ "doc": doc, "pages": [1], "rect": [0, 0, 300, 300] }));
+    assert_eq!(all["pages"][0]["text"], "Name\tQty\nApple\t12\nPear\t7");
+    // Nothing inside: empty text, not an error.
+    let none = ok(&mut a, "text_extract", json!({ "doc": doc, "pages": [1], "rect": [0, 0, 5, 5] }));
+    assert_eq!(none["pages"][0]["text"], "");
+    // A rect that is not four numbers is refused.
+    for bad in [json!([1, 2, 3]), json!("0 0 1 1"), json!([0, 0, "a", 1])] {
+        let e = a.call("text_extract", &json!({ "doc": doc, "rect": bad })).unwrap_err();
+        assert!(matches!(e, ToolError::InvalidArgs(_)), "{bad}: {e}");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/commands.rs b/crates/engine/src/commands.rs
index f8f0ae9f..0d7329aa 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/commands.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/commands.rs
@@ -201,6 +201,10 @@ pub const COMMANDS: &[CommandSpec] = &[
     // View menu (where it would show twice). The palette and ⌘3 still run it.
     c("view.fit_visible", "Fit visible", None, Some(Shortcut::cmd("3")), Document, "scan"),
     c("view.marquee_zoom", "Marquee zoom", VIEW, None, Document, "zoom-in"),
+    // Acrobat's column select: drag a rectangle and select only the text inside it. Alt/Option-
+    // drag with the Select tool does the same; this is the way in where the desktop takes
+    // Alt-drag for moving windows (several Linux window managers).
+    c("edit.column_select", "Column select", EDIT, None, Document, "text-select"),
     c("edit.snapshot", "Take a snapshot", EDIT, None, Document, "camera"),
     c("view.full_screen", "Full screen mode", VIEW, Some(Shortcut::cmd("L")), Document, "maximize"),
     c("view.read_mode", "Read mode", VIEW, Some(Shortcut { command: true, shift: false, mac_ctrl: true, key: "H" }), Document, "book-open"),
diff --git a/crates/render/src/text.rs b/crates/render/src/text.rs
index 8a6c38fd..8c47af21 100644
--- a/crates/render/src/text.rs
+++ b/crates/render/src/text.rs
@@ -213,21 +213,115 @@ impl PageText {
 
     /// Merge the boxes of `range` into one rectangle per line (for highlighting).
     pub fn line_rects(&self, range: std::ops::Range<usize>) -> Vec<[f32; 4]> {
-        let mut out: Vec<(u32, [f32; 4])> = Vec::new();
-        for i in range {
-            let Some(g) = self.glyphs.get(i) else { break };
-            let line = self.line_of[i];
+        self.merged_rects(range)
+    }
+
+    /// One rectangle per run of consecutive glyphs on one line, for glyph indices in ascending
+    /// order (a reading-order range, or [`Self::glyphs_in`]). A run stops at a skipped glyph, so
+    /// the rectangle never covers text that is not selected.
+    pub fn glyph_rects(&self, glyphs: &[usize]) -> Vec<[f32; 4]> {
+        self.merged_rects(glyphs.iter().copied())
+    }
+
+    fn merged_rects(&self, glyphs: impl IntoIterator<Item = usize>) -> Vec<[f32; 4]> {
+        let mut out: Vec<(u32, usize, [f32; 4])> = Vec::new();
+        for i in glyphs {
+            let (Some(g), Some(&line)) = (self.glyphs.get(i), self.line_of.get(i)) else { break };
             match out.last_mut() {
-                Some((l, r)) if *l == line => {
-                    r[0] = r[0].min(g.rect[0]);
-                    r[1] = r[1].min(g.rect[1]);
-                    r[2] = r[2].max(g.rect[2]);
-                    r[3] = r[3].max(g.rect[3]);
+                Some((l, last, r)) if *l == line && last.checked_add(1) == Some(i) => {
+                    *last = i;
+                    union(r, &g.rect);
                 }
-                _ => out.push((line, g.rect)),
+                _ => out.push((line, i, g.rect)),
             }
         }
-        out.into_iter().map(|(_, r)| r).collect()
+        out.into_iter().map(|(_, _, r)| r).collect()
+    }
+
+    /// The glyphs whose centre lies inside `rect` (view space, corners in either order), in
+    /// reading order: what a column selection covers (Alt/Option-drag, Acrobat's column select).
+    /// A glyph only partly inside counts when its centre is, so a rectangle drawn a little into
+    /// the next column does not pick up the edge of its text.
+    pub fn glyphs_in(&self, rect: [f32; 4]) -> Vec<usize> {
+        let (x0, x1) = (rect[0].min(rect[2]), rect[0].max(rect[2]));
+        let (y0, y1) = (rect[1].min(rect[3]), rect[1].max(rect[3]));
+        let inside = |g: &TextGlyph| {
+            let (cx, cy) = ((g.rect[0] + g.rect[2]) / 2.0, (g.rect[1] + g.rect[3]) / 2.0);
+            (x0..=x1).contains(&cx) && (y0..=y1).contains(&cy)
+        };
+        self.glyphs.iter().enumerate().filter(|(_, g)| inside(g)).map(|(i, _)| i).collect()
+    }
+
+    /// The text of a column selection ([`Self::glyphs_in`]) as it looks on the page: one row per
+    /// visual line, top to bottom. Pieces of different lines that sit side by side (table cells,
+    /// newspaper columns) share a row and are separated by a tab, so a pasted table lands in
+    /// spreadsheet cells. Rows of right-to-left text put their pieces right to left. When any
+    /// selected glyph does not run horizontally (CJK vertical writing, turned text, a page shown
+    /// turned by `/Rotate`) rows mean nothing, and the lines come out one per row in reading order
+    /// instead.
+    pub fn column_text(&self, glyphs: &[usize]) -> String {
+        // The selected glyphs of each line, with their box: (glyphs, bbox).
+        let mut lines: Vec<(Vec<usize>, [f32; 4])> = Vec::new();
+        let mut line_ids: Vec<u32> = Vec::new();
+        for &i in glyphs {
+            let (Some(g), Some(&line)) = (self.glyphs.get(i), self.line_of.get(i)) else { continue };
+            match (lines.last_mut(), line_ids.last()) {
+                (Some((members, bb)), Some(&l)) if l == line => {
+                    members.push(i);
+                    union(bb, &g.rect);
+                }
+                _ => {
+                    lines.push((vec![i], g.rect));
+                    line_ids.push(line);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        // Within the layout's own tolerance for reading a glyph as unturned.
+        let vertical = glyphs.iter().any(|&i| self.glyphs.get(i).is_some_and(|g| g.direction[1].abs() > WORD_GAP));
+        let piece = |members: &[usize]| {
+            let mut s = String::new();
+            let mut prev: Option<usize> = None;
+            for &i in members {
+                let Some(g) = self.glyphs.get(i) else { continue };
+                let gap = self.space_before.get(i).copied().unwrap_or(false) || prev.and_then(|p| p.checked_add(1)) != Some(i);
+                if prev.is_some() && gap {
+                    s.push(' ');
+                }
+                s.push_str(&g.text);
+                prev = Some(i);
+            }
+            s
+        };
+        if vertical {
+            return lines.iter().map(|(members, _)| piece(members)).collect::<Vec<_>>().join("\n");
+        }
+        // Rows: a line joins the row whose first line its vertical centre falls within.
+        let mut order: Vec<usize> = (0..lines.len()).collect();
+        order.sort_by(|a, b| {
+            let cy = |k: usize| lines.get(k).map_or(0.0, |(_, bb)| (bb[1] + bb[3]) / 2.0);
+            cy(*a).total_cmp(&cy(*b))
+        });
+        let mut rows: Vec<(f32, f32, Vec<usize>)> = Vec::new();
+        for k in order {
+            let Some((_, bb)) = lines.get(k) else { continue };
+            let cy = (bb[1] + bb[3]) / 2.0;
+            match rows.last_mut() {
+                Some((top, bottom, members)) if cy >= *top && cy <= *bottom => members.push(k),
+                _ => rows.push((bb[1], bb[3], vec![k])),
+            }
+        }
+        let rtl = |members: &[usize]| members.iter().any(|&i| self.glyphs.get(i).is_some_and(|g| g.text.chars().any(is_rtl)));
+        let mut out = Vec::with_capacity(rows.len());
+        for (_, _, mut members) in rows {
+            let right_to_left = members.iter().all(|&k| lines.get(k).is_some_and(|(m, _)| rtl(m)));
+            members.sort_by(|a, b| {
+                let x = |k: usize| lines.get(k).map_or(0.0, |(_, bb)| bb[0]);
+                if right_to_left { x(*b).total_cmp(&x(*a)) } else { x(*a).total_cmp(&x(*b)) }
+            });
+            let cells: Vec<String> = members.iter().filter_map(|&k| lines.get(k)).map(|(m, _)| piece(m)).collect();
+            out.push(cells.join("\t"));
+        }
+        out.join("\n")
     }
 }
 
@@ -1203,4 +1297,85 @@ mod tests {
         let slant = skewed.quad[3][0] - skewed.quad[0][0];
         assert!((slant - 10.0).abs() < 1e-3, "the skewed glyph's upright edge leans by half its 20 pt height: {skewed:?}");
     }
+
+    /// A three-row table, "Name Qty / Apple 12 / Pear 7": the columns sit far enough apart that
+    /// reading order takes one column, then the other.
+    fn table() -> PageText {
+        let mut v = Vec::new();
+        for (row, (name, qty)) in [("Name", "Qty"), ("Apple", "12"), ("Pear", "7")].into_iter().enumerate() {
+            let y = 10.0 + row as f32 * 14.0;
+            word(&mut v, name, 10.0, y, 6.0);
+            word(&mut v, qty, 100.0, y, 6.0);
+        }
+        layout(v)
+    }
+
+    /// Issue #740: a column selection takes only what is inside the rectangle.
+    #[test]
+    fn a_column_selection_takes_one_table_column() {
+        let t = table();
+        assert_eq!(t.plain_text(), "Name\nApple\nPear\nQty\n12\n7", "reading order is column by column");
+        let qty = t.glyphs_in([95.0, 0.0, 130.0, 60.0]);
+        assert_eq!(t.column_text(&qty), "Qty\n12\n7");
+        assert_eq!(t.glyph_rects(&qty).len(), 3, "one highlight per row");
+        // Corners in either order.
+        assert_eq!(t.glyphs_in([130.0, 60.0, 95.0, 0.0]), qty);
+    }
+
+    /// Across columns the text comes out row by row, cells separated by tabs.
+    #[test]
+    fn a_column_selection_across_columns_reads_row_by_row() {
+        let t = table();
+        let all = t.glyphs_in([0.0, 0.0, 200.0, 60.0]);
+        assert_eq!(t.column_text(&all), "Name\tQty\nApple\t12\nPear\t7");
+        // The middle row only, and only the start of "Apple": centres decide.
+        let part = t.glyphs_in([0.0, 25.0, 31.0, 33.0]);
+        assert_eq!(t.column_text(&part), "Appl");
+        assert_eq!(t.glyph_rects(&part), vec![[10.0, 24.0, 34.0, 34.0]]);
+    }
+
+    /// A rectangle that misses every glyph, or is not a number, selects nothing.
+    #[test]
+    fn an_empty_or_degenerate_column_selection_is_empty() {
+        let t = table();
+        for r in [[300.0, 300.0, 400.0, 400.0], [f32::NAN, 0.0, 200.0, 60.0], [50.0, 50.0, 50.0, 50.0]] {
+            let none = t.glyphs_in(r);
+            assert!(none.is_empty(), "{r:?}");
+            assert_eq!(t.column_text(&none), "");
+            assert!(t.glyph_rects(&none).is_empty());
+        }
+        assert_eq!(PageText::default().column_text(&[0, 7, usize::MAX]), "", "indices past the text are ignored");
+    }
+
+    /// Right-to-left rows put their cells right to left.
+    #[test]
+    fn right_to_left_rows_read_right_to_left() {
+        let mut v = Vec::new();
+        // "שלום" (right) and "עולם" (left), each drawn visually.
+        word(&mut v, "םולש", 100.0, 10.0, 6.0);
+        word(&mut v, "םלוע", 10.0, 10.0, 6.0);
+        let t = layout(v);
+        let all = t.glyphs_in([0.0, 0.0, 200.0, 30.0]);
+        assert_eq!(t.column_text(&all), "שלום\tעולם");
+    }
+
+    /// Vertical lines (CJK vertical writing) come out one per row, in reading order.
+    #[test]
+    fn vertical_lines_keep_reading_order() {
+        // Written downwards: the em box's edge towards the next line is its left one.
+        let cell = |t: &str, x: f32, y: f32| TextGlyph {
+            text: t.into(),
+            rect: [x, y, x + 10.0, y + 10.0],
+            quad: [[x, y], [x, y + 10.0], [x + 10.0, y + 10.0], [x + 10.0, y]],
+            direction: [0.0, 1.0],
+        };
+        let t = PageText {
+            // Right column 日本 first, then the left column 語文, each top to bottom.
+            glyphs: vec![cell("日", 40.0, 10.0), cell("本", 40.0, 20.0), cell("語", 20.0, 10.0), cell("文", 20.0, 20.0)],
+            line_of: vec![0, 0, 1, 1],
+            space_before: vec![false; 4],
+        };
+        let all = t.glyphs_in([0.0, 0.0, 60.0, 40.0]);
+        assert_eq!(t.column_text(&all), "日本\n語文");
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/canvas.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/canvas.rs
index e5eaec2d..016e07fb 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/canvas.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/canvas.rs
@@ -196,17 +196,45 @@ pub struct Find {
     pub in_panel: bool,
 }
 
-/// A text selection on one page, in reading-order glyph indices.
+/// A text selection on one page.
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq)]
 struct Selection {
     page: usize,
-    anchor: usize,
-    head: usize,
+    span: Span,
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq)]
+enum Span {
+    /// Reading order, between two glyph indices.
+    Run { anchor: usize, head: usize },
+    /// Column select (#740): the glyphs inside a rectangle in page view space, drawn from the
+    /// corner the drag started at (`rect[0..2]`) to the pointer (`rect[2..4]`).
+    Column { rect: [f32; 4] },
 }
 
 impl Selection {
-    fn range(&self) -> Range<usize> {
-        self.anchor.min(self.head)..self.anchor.max(self.head) + 1
+    fn run(page: usize, anchor: usize, head: usize) -> Self {
+        Self { page, span: Span::Run { anchor, head } }
+    }
+
+    fn range(anchor: usize, head: usize) -> Range<usize> {
+        anchor.min(head)..anchor.max(head).saturating_add(1)
+    }
+
+    /// One rectangle per selected piece of a line, in view space (highlighting, markup quads).
+    fn rects(&self, text: &PageText) -> Vec<[f32; 4]> {
+        match self.span {
+            Span::Run { anchor, head } => text.line_rects(Self::range(anchor, head)),
+            Span::Column { rect } => text.glyph_rects(&text.glyphs_in(rect)),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// The selected text, as Copy puts it on the clipboard.
+    fn text(&self, text: &PageText) -> String {
+        match self.span {
+            Span::Run { anchor, head } => text.text_of(Self::range(anchor, head)),
+            Span::Column { rect } => text.column_text(&text.glyphs_in(rect)),
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -686,7 +714,7 @@ impl DocView {
         let s = self.selection?;
         let text = self.texts.get(&s.page)?;
         let page = info.pages.get(s.page)?;
-        let quads: Vec<[f64; 8]> = text.line_rects(s.range()).into_iter().map(|r| page.view_rect_to_quad(r)).collect();
+        let quads: Vec<[f64; 8]> = s.rects(text).into_iter().map(|r| page.view_rect_to_quad(r)).collect();
         (!quads.is_empty()).then_some((s.page, quads))
     }
 
@@ -711,7 +739,7 @@ impl DocView {
 
     /// Select text on `page` from glyph `from` to glyph `to` (tests and automation).
     pub fn select_text(&mut self, page: usize, from: usize, to: usize) {
-        self.selection = Some(Selection { page, anchor: from, head: to });
+        self.selection = Some(Selection::run(page, from, to));
     }
 
     /// Open the find bar (or focus it if already open).
@@ -802,7 +830,7 @@ impl DocView {
     pub fn selected_text(&self) -> Option<String> {
         let s = self.selection?;
         let t = self.texts.get(&s.page)?;
-        Some(t.text_of(s.range())).filter(|x| !x.is_empty())
+        Some(s.text(t)).filter(|x| !x.is_empty())
     }
 
     pub fn thumb(&self, page: usize) -> Option<&TextureHandle> {
@@ -952,7 +980,7 @@ impl DocView {
         if t.glyphs.is_empty() {
             return false;
         }
-        self.selection = Some(Selection { page, anchor: 0, head: t.glyphs.len() - 1 });
+        self.selection = Some(Selection::run(page, 0, t.glyphs.len() - 1));
         true
     }
 
@@ -1890,7 +1918,7 @@ pub fn document_area(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, index: usize, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
     let selects_text = match tool {
         QuickTool::Comment(t) => t.markup().is_some() || t == comments::CommentTool::ReplaceText,
         QuickTool::Select => !preparing,
-        QuickTool::Redact => true,
+        QuickTool::Redact | QuickTool::ColumnSelect => true,
         QuickTool::Hand
         | QuickTool::Measure(_)
         | QuickTool::Crop
@@ -2295,9 +2323,16 @@ pub fn document_area(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, index: usize, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
                     }
                 }
                 if let Some(sel) = view.selection.filter(|s| s.page == i) {
-                    for lr in text.line_rects(sel.range()) {
+                    for lr in sel.rects(&text) {
                         painter.rect_filled(to_screen(lr), CornerRadius::same(1), Color32::from_rgba_unmultiplied(0x3A, 0x7B, 0xF0, 70));
                     }
+                    // The rectangle being drawn, as Acrobat shows it while column-selecting.
+                    if let Span::Column { rect } = sel.span
+                        && resp.dragged()
+                    {
+                        let outline = Stroke::new(1.0, Color32::from_rgb(0x3A, 0x7B, 0xF0));
+                        painter.rect_stroke(to_screen(rect), CornerRadius::ZERO, outline, egui::StrokeKind::Middle);
+                    }
                 }
                 if selects_text
                     && !consumed
@@ -2306,20 +2341,44 @@ pub fn document_area(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, index: usize, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
                     let (vx, vy) = xf.screen_to_view(p);
                     let over_text = text.glyphs.iter().any(|g| vx >= g.rect[0] && vx <= g.rect[2] && vy >= g.rect[1] && vy <= g.rect[3]);
                     let over_link = info.links.iter().any(|l| l.page == i && xf.user_rect(info, i, l.rect).contains(p));
-                    if over_text && !over_link {
+                    // Column select (#740): the Column select tool, or Alt (Option on macOS) held
+                    // while a drag starts, as in Acrobat.
+                    let column = tool == QuickTool::ColumnSelect || ui.input(|inp| inp.modifiers.alt);
+                    if column && !over_link {
+                        ui.ctx().set_cursor_icon(egui::CursorIcon::Crosshair);
+                    } else if over_text && !over_link {
                         ui.ctx().set_cursor_icon(egui::CursorIcon::Text);
                     }
                     let press_here = ui.input(|inp| inp.pointer.press_origin()).is_some_and(|o| r.contains(o));
                     if resp.drag_started() && press_here && !over_link {
                         let origin = ui.input(|inp| inp.pointer.press_origin()).unwrap_or(p);
                         let (ox, oy) = xf.screen_to_view(origin);
-                        view.selection = text.nearest(ox, oy).map(|a| Selection { page: i, anchor: a, head: a });
+                        view.selection = if column {
+                            Some(Selection { page: i, span: Span::Column { rect: [ox, oy, vx, vy] } })
+                        } else {
+                            text.nearest(ox, oy).map(|a| Selection::run(i, a, a))
+                        };
                     }
                     if resp.dragged()
                         && let Some(sel) = view.selection.as_mut().filter(|s| s.page == i)
-                        && let Some(h) = text.nearest(vx, vy)
                     {
-                        sel.head = h;
+                        match &mut sel.span {
+                            Span::Run { head, .. } => {
+                                if let Some(h) = text.nearest(vx, vy) {
+                                    *head = h;
+                                }
+                            }
+                            Span::Column { rect } => {
+                                rect[2] = vx;
+                                rect[3] = vy;
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                    // A rectangle around no text selects nothing.
+                    if resp.drag_stopped()
+                        && view.selection.is_some_and(|s| s.page == i && matches!(s.span, Span::Column { .. }) && s.text(&text).is_empty())
+                    {
+                        view.selection = None;
                     }
                     // Quick clicks widen the selection: two a word, three the line, four the page.
                     // egui counts up to three, so four come from the run kept here. The markup and
@@ -2342,15 +2401,16 @@ pub fn document_area(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, index: usize, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
                             _ => text.glyphs.len().checked_sub(1).map(|last| (0, last)),
                         });
                         if let Some((first, last)) = span {
-                            view.selection = Some(Selection { page: i, anchor: first, head: last });
+                            view.selection = Some(Selection::run(i, first, last));
                         }
                     } else if resp.clicked() && !over_link {
                         // ⇧-click extends a selection on this page to the click, keeping its
-                        // anchor (#527). Otherwise (no shift, or no selection on this page; a
-                        // selection cannot yet span pages) a click clears the selection.
+                        // anchor (#527). Otherwise (no shift, no selection on this page, or a
+                        // column selection, which has no anchor glyph; a selection cannot yet
+                        // span pages) a click clears the selection.
                         let shift = ui.input(|inp| inp.modifiers.shift);
-                        match (view.selection.as_mut().filter(|s| shift && s.page == i), text.nearest(vx, vy)) {
-                            (Some(sel), Some(h)) => sel.head = h,
+                        match (view.selection.as_mut().filter(|s| shift && s.page == i).map(|s| &mut s.span), text.nearest(vx, vy)) {
+                            (Some(Span::Run { head, .. }), Some(h)) => *head = h,
                             _ => view.selection = None,
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/commands.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/commands.rs
index 865d72a1..52a57270 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/commands.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/commands.rs
@@ -470,6 +470,7 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
                 }
             }
             "view.marquee_zoom" => self.quick_tool = crate::QuickTool::MarqueeZoom,
+            "edit.column_select" => self.quick_tool = crate::QuickTool::ColumnSelect,
             "edit.snapshot" => {
                 self.quick_tool = crate::QuickTool::Snapshot;
                 self.notify_tr("Drag a rectangle around the area to copy");
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/control.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/control.rs
index 4e80e52d..c237889f 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/control.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/control.rs
@@ -579,6 +579,7 @@ impl Host for crate::PdfCraftApp {
                 crate::QuickTool::SignArea { certify: true } => "certify".to_string(),
                 crate::QuickTool::MarqueeZoom => "marquee-zoom".to_string(),
                 crate::QuickTool::Snapshot => "snapshot".to_string(),
+                crate::QuickTool::ColumnSelect => "column-select".to_string(),
                 crate::QuickTool::Stamp(k) => format!("stamp-{}", k.name().trim_start_matches("PC").to_ascii_lowercase()),
                 crate::QuickTool::CustomStamp(i) => format!("custom-stamp-{i}"),
                 crate::QuickTool::Fill(f) => format!("fill-{}", f.command().trim_start_matches("sign.fill.")),
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ar.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ar.tsv
index bcc1a58b..ed0f3945 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ar.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ar.tsv
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@
 	Fit visible	ملاءمة المرئي
 	Marquee zoom	تكبير بالتحديد
 	Take a snapshot	التقاط لقطة
+	Column select	تحديد عمود
 	Full screen mode	وضع ملء الشاشة
 	Read mode	وضع القراءة
 	Switch light / dark theme	التبديل بين السمة الفاتحة والداكنة
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/bg.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/bg.tsv
index d0a3cde9..d25d29e7 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/bg.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/bg.tsv
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@
 	Rotate view clockwise	Завърти изгледа по часовниковата стрелка
 	Rotate view counterclockwise	Завърти изгледа обратно на часовниковата стрелка
 	Take a snapshot	Направи моментна снимка
+	Column select	Избор на колона
 	Full screen mode	Цял екран
 	Read mode	Режим на четене
 	Switch light / dark theme	Превключи светла / тъмна тема
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/cs.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/cs.tsv
index 2e8d5087..20623a74 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/cs.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/cs.tsv
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
 	Find…	Najít…
 	Advanced search…	Rozšířené hledání…
 	Take a snapshot	Pořídit snímek
+	Column select	Výběr sloupce
 	Clear form	Vymazat formulář
 	Copy pages	Kopírovat stránky
 	Cut pages	Vyjmout stránky
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/de.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/de.tsv
index 07796fce..58720ac2 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/de.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/de.tsv
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 	Fit visible	Sichtbaren Inhalt einpassen
 	Marquee zoom	Auswahlrahmen-Zoom
 	Take a snapshot	Schnappschuss erstellen
+	Column select	Spaltenauswahl
 	Full screen mode	Vollbildmodus
 	Read mode	Lesemodus
 	Switch light / dark theme	Helles / dunkles Design umschalten
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/es.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/es.tsv
index 8e46cf81..13bcd06f 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/es.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/es.tsv
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
 	Fit visible	Ajustar al contenido visible
 	Marquee zoom	Zoom por selección
 	Take a snapshot	Tomar una instantánea
+	Column select	Selección de columna
 	Full screen mode	Modo de pantalla completa
 	Read mode	Modo de lectura
 	Switch light / dark theme	Cambiar entre tema claro y oscuro
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/fr.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/fr.tsv
index f857b911..4c293b5e 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/fr.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/fr.tsv
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 	Fit visible	Ajuster au contenu visible
 	Marquee zoom	Zoom par sélection
 	Take a snapshot	Prendre un instantané
+	Column select	Sélection de colonne
 	Full screen mode	Mode plein écran
 	Read mode	Mode lecture
 	Switch light / dark theme	Basculer entre les thèmes clair et sombre
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/hu.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/hu.tsv
index 13f85c02..db059d58 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/hu.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/hu.tsv
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 	Fit visible	Látható tartalomhoz igazítás
 	Marquee zoom	Kijelölő nagyítás
 	Take a snapshot	Pillanatkép
+	Column select	Oszlopkijelölés
 	Full screen mode	Teljes képernyő
 	Read mode	Olvasási mód
 	Switch light / dark theme	Világos / sötét téma váltása
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/it.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/it.tsv
index ead6977a..852c0eb8 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/it.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/it.tsv
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
 	Fit visible	Adatta al visibile
 	Marquee zoom	Ingrandimento selettivo
 	Take a snapshot	Acquisisci istantanea
+	Column select	Selezione colonna
 	Full screen mode	Modalità schermo intero
 	Read mode	Modalità lettura
 	Switch light / dark theme	Alterna tema chiaro/scuro
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ja.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ja.tsv
index 4845803e..4ab9e223 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ja.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ja.tsv
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@
 	Fit visible	表示範囲に合わせる
 	Marquee zoom	範囲指定ズーム
 	Take a snapshot	スナップショットを作成
+	Column select	列の選択
 	Full screen mode	全画面表示
 	Read mode	閲覧モード
 	Switch light / dark theme	明るい／暗いテーマを切り替え
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pt-br.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pt-br.tsv
index ed26ca06..69997634 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pt-br.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/pt-br.tsv
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 	Fit visible	Ajustar ao visível
 	Marquee zoom	Zoom por seleção
 	Take a snapshot	Capturar instantâneo
+	Column select	Seleção de coluna
 	Full screen mode	Modo de tela cheia
 	Read mode	Modo de leitura
 	Switch light / dark theme	Alternar tema claro / escuro
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ru.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ru.tsv
index e86e9aaf..10d34a85 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ru.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/ru.tsv
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@
 	Fit visible	По видимой области
 	Marquee zoom	Масштаб выделением
 	Take a snapshot	Сделать снимок
+	Column select	Выделение столбца
 	Full screen mode	Полноэкранный режим
 	Read mode	Режим чтения
 	Switch light / dark theme	Переключить светлую / тёмную тему
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/te.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/te.tsv
index e7e114be..ab197fdc 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/te.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/te.tsv
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ comment menu	Edit	సవరించు
 	Fit visible	కనిపించే భాగానికి సరిపోయేలా
 	Marquee zoom	ఎంచుకున్న ప్రాంతానికి జూమ్
 	Take a snapshot	స్నాప్‌షాట్ తీయి
+	Column select	నిలువు వరుస ఎంపిక
 	Full screen mode	పూర్తి స్క్రీన్ మోడ్
 	Read mode	చదివే మోడ్
 	Switch light / dark theme	లేత / ముదురు థీమ్‌ల మధ్య మారు
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/uk.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/uk.tsv
index b294ba47..5fc970b9 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/uk.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/uk.tsv
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@
 	Fit visible	За видимою областю
 	Marquee zoom	Масштабувати виділену область
 	Take a snapshot	Зробити знімок
+	Column select	Виділення стовпця
 	Full screen mode	Повноекранний режим
 	Read mode	Режим читання
 	Switch light / dark theme	Перемкнути світлу / темну тему
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hans.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hans.tsv
index a7b8f839..9cdfc5b8 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hans.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hans.tsv
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@
 	Rotate view clockwise	顺时针旋转视图
 	Rotate view counterclockwise	逆时针旋转视图
 	Take a snapshot	拍摄快照
+	Column select	列选择
 	Full screen mode	全屏模式
 	Read mode	阅读模式
 	Switch light / dark theme	切换浅色/深色主题
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hant.tsv b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hant.tsv
index f28058ec..520bd3ec 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hant.tsv
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/i18n/zh-hant.tsv
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@
 	Rotate view clockwise	順時針旋轉檢視
 	Rotate view counterclockwise	逆時針旋轉檢視
 	Take a snapshot	擷取快照
+	Column select	欄選取
 	Full screen mode	全螢幕模式
 	Read mode	閱讀模式
 	Switch light / dark theme	切換淺色／深色主題
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
index 64661d8f..d4182d3d 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
@@ -205,6 +205,9 @@ pub enum QuickTool {
     MarqueeZoom,
     /// Edit ▸ Take a Snapshot.
     Snapshot,
+    /// Edit ▸ Column Select: drag a rectangle to select only the text inside it (#740). The
+    /// Select tool does the same while Alt/Option is held at the start of a drag.
+    ColumnSelect,
 }
 
 /// Files dropped on a document's page grid.
@@ -1668,6 +1671,7 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
                     "sign" => QuickTool::SignArea { certify: false },
                     "marquee-zoom" => QuickTool::MarqueeZoom,
                     "snapshot" => QuickTool::Snapshot,
+                    "column-select" => QuickTool::ColumnSelect,
                     "certify" => QuickTool::SignArea { certify: true },
                     custom if custom.starts_with("custom-stamp-") => {
                         let i: usize = custom[13..].parse().map_err(|_| format!("bad stamp {custom}"))?;
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/column_select.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/column_select.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..30ef0a13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/column_select.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+//! Issue #740: column select, as in Acrobat. Alt-drag (Option-drag on macOS) with the Select tool,
+//! or a plain drag with Edit ▸ Column select, selects only the text inside the rectangle drawn.
+
+use egui::{Event, Modifiers, PointerButton, Pos2, vec2};
+use egui_kittest::Harness;
+use pdfcraft_ui_egui::PdfCraftApp;
+
+/// One 300×200 page with a three-row table, "Name Qty / Apple 12 / Pear 7". Its columns sit far
+/// enough apart that reading order takes one column, then the other: glyphs 0–3 "Name", 4–8
+/// "Apple", 9–12 "Pear", 13–15 "Qty", 16–17 "12", 18 "7".
+fn table() -> Vec<u8> {
+    let content =
+        "BT /F1 14 Tf 20 150 Td (Name) Tj 130 0 Td (Qty) Tj -130 -24 Td (Apple) Tj 130 0 Td (12) Tj -130 -24 Td (Pear) Tj 130 0 Td (7) Tj ET";
+    format!(
+        "%PDF-1.7
+1 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Pages 2 0 R >> endobj
+2 0 obj << /Type /Pages /Kids [3 0 R] /Count 1 >> endobj
+3 0 obj << /Type /Page /Parent 2 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 300 200] /Contents 4 0 R /Resources << /Font << /F1 5 0 R >> >> >> endobj
+4 0 obj << /Length {} >> stream
+{content}
+endstream endobj
+5 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /BaseFont /Helvetica >> endobj
+trailer << /Root 1 0 R >>
+%%EOF",
+        content.len()
+    )
+    .into_bytes()
+}
+
+fn harness(setup: impl FnOnce(&mut PdfCraftApp) + 'static) -> Harness<'static, PdfCraftApp> {
+    let mut h = Harness::builder().with_size(egui::vec2(1400.0, 900.0)).with_step_dt(1.0 / 60.0).build_eframe(move |_cc| {
+        let mut app = PdfCraftApp::new();
+        app.set_option("language", "en").unwrap();
+        app.open_bytes("table.pdf", None, table()).expect("opens");
+        app.set_option("left", "closed").unwrap();
+        app.set_option("author", "Tester").unwrap();
+        setup(&mut app);
+        app
+    });
+    for _ in 0..200 {
+        h.run_steps(2);
+        if !h.state().render_pending() {
+            break;
+        }
+        std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(5));
+    }
+    assert!(h.state().views[0].glyph_screen_pos(0, 0).is_some(), "text layer loaded");
+    h
+}
+
+fn glyph(h: &Harness<'static, PdfCraftApp>, g: usize) -> Pos2 {
+    h.state().views[0].glyph_screen_pos(0, g).expect("glyph on screen")
+}
+
+fn text(h: &Harness<'static, PdfCraftApp>) -> Option<String> {
+    h.state().views[0].selected_text()
+}
+
+/// Press at `from`, move to `to` and release there, with `modifiers` held throughout.
+fn drag(h: &mut Harness<'static, PdfCraftApp>, from: Pos2, to: Pos2, modifiers: Modifiers) {
+    h.event(Event::ModifiersChanged(modifiers));
+    h.hover_at(from);
+    h.run_steps(1);
+    h.event(Event::PointerButton { pos: from, button: PointerButton::Primary, pressed: true, modifiers });
+    h.run_steps(1);
+    for k in 1..=4 {
+        h.hover_at(from + (to - from) * (k as f32 / 4.0));
+        h.run_steps(1);
+    }
+    h.event(Event::PointerButton { pos: to, button: PointerButton::Primary, pressed: false, modifiers });
+    h.run_steps(1);
+    h.event(Event::ModifiersChanged(Modifiers::NONE));
+    h.run_steps(1);
+}
+
+/// Below-right of the top two rows: past the "y" of "Qty" (the wider cell), level with "12".
+fn below_right_of_row_two(h: &Harness<'static, PdfCraftApp>) -> Pos2 {
+    egui::pos2(glyph(h, 15).x.max(glyph(h, 17).x) + 12.0, glyph(h, 17).y + 8.0)
+}
+
+/// From above-left of "Name" to below-right of "12": the top two rows of both columns.
+fn top_two_rows(h: &Harness<'static, PdfCraftApp>) -> (Pos2, Pos2) {
+    (glyph(h, 0) - vec2(12.0, 12.0), below_right_of_row_two(h))
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn alt_drag_selects_only_the_text_inside_the_rectangle() {
+    let mut h = harness(|_| {});
+    let (from, to) = top_two_rows(&h);
+    // A plain drag selects in reading order: everything from "Name" to "12".
+    drag(&mut h, from, to, Modifiers::NONE);
+    assert_eq!(text(&h).as_deref(), Some("Name\nApple\nPear\nQty\n12"));
+    h.run_steps(60);
+    // Alt (Option on macOS) at the start of the drag: only the rectangle, row by row.
+    drag(&mut h, from, to, Modifiers::ALT);
+    assert_eq!(text(&h).as_deref(), Some("Name\tQty\nApple\t12"));
+    // One column of numbers, which is what the issue asked for.
+    h.run_steps(60);
+    let (from, to) = (glyph(&h, 13) - vec2(8.0, 12.0), egui::pos2(glyph(&h, 15).x + 12.0, glyph(&h, 18).y + 12.0));
+    drag(&mut h, from, to, Modifiers::ALT);
+    assert_eq!(text(&h).as_deref(), Some("Qty\n12\n7"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn the_column_select_tool_needs_no_modifier() {
+    let mut h = harness(|app| assert!(app.execute("edit.column_select")));
+    assert_eq!(h.state().quick_tool, pdfcraft_ui_egui::QuickTool::ColumnSelect);
+    let (from, to) = top_two_rows(&h);
+    drag(&mut h, from, to, Modifiers::NONE);
+    assert_eq!(text(&h).as_deref(), Some("Name\tQty\nApple\t12"));
+    // A rectangle around no text selects nothing.
+    h.run_steps(60);
+    let below = glyph(&h, 12) + vec2(0.0, 60.0);
+    drag(&mut h, below, below + vec2(60.0, 30.0), Modifiers::NONE);
+    assert_eq!(text(&h), None);
+}
+
+/// ⇧-click extends a reading-order selection; a column selection has no anchor glyph, so a
+/// ⇧-click clears it like a plain click.
+#[test]
+fn shift_click_clears_a_column_selection() {
+    let mut h = harness(|_| {});
+    let (from, to) = top_two_rows(&h);
+    drag(&mut h, from, to, Modifiers::ALT);
+    assert!(text(&h).is_some());
+    h.run_steps(60);
+    let at = glyph(&h, 10);
+    h.event(Event::ModifiersChanged(Modifiers::SHIFT));
+    h.hover_at(at);
+    h.run_steps(1);
+    for pressed in [true, false] {
+        h.event(Event::PointerButton { pos: at, button: PointerButton::Primary, pressed, modifiers: Modifiers::SHIFT });
+    }
+    h.run_steps(1);
+    h.event(Event::ModifiersChanged(Modifiers::NONE));
+    h.run_steps(1);
+    assert_eq!(text(&h), None);
+}
+
+/// Alt-drag with the highlighter marks only the cells inside the rectangle: one quad per piece
+/// of a line. The drag starts on text, since off text the highlighter draws an area highlight.
+#[test]
+fn alt_drag_with_the_highlighter_marks_only_the_column() {
+    let mut h = harness(|app| assert!(app.execute("comment.highlight")));
+    // Just above-left of the centre of "N", still on the glyph.
+    let (from, to) = (glyph(&h, 0) - vec2(2.0, 2.0), below_right_of_row_two(&h));
+    drag(&mut h, from, to, Modifiers::ALT);
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    let app = h.state();
+    let doc = app.session.get(app.views[0].id).unwrap();
+    let marks: Vec<(&str, usize)> = doc.info.annotations.iter().map(|a| (a.subtype.as_str(), a.quads.len())).collect();
+    assert_eq!(marks, [("Highlight", 4)], "Name, Qty, Apple and 12, each its own quad");
+}
diff --git a/parity/acrobat-features.toml b/parity/acrobat-features.toml
index 4bec0867..91ac26f1 100644
--- a/parity/acrobat-features.toml
+++ b/parity/acrobat-features.toml
@@ -1481,6 +1481,18 @@ tools = []
 evidence = ["crates/ui-egui/tests/ui.rs::drag_selects_text_and_copy_returns_it", "crates/ui-egui/tests/ui.rs::selection_works_in_every_view_rotation", "crates/ui-egui/tests/text_select.rs::quick_clicks_select_a_word_then_the_line_then_the_page", "crates/ui-egui/tests/text_select.rs::quick_clicks_with_the_highlighter_mark_only_the_word", "crates/ui-egui/tests/text_select.rs::shift_click_extends_the_selection_from_its_anchor"]
 notes = "Drag to select; ⇧-click extends the selection to the click, keeping its anchor (same page only); with the Select tool, quick clicks select a word (two), the line (three) or all the text on the page (four). The markup and Redact tools mark a double-clicked word and stop there. Missing: selection across pages (dragging or ⇧-clicking onto another page), paragraph selection, and ⌘A across the whole document (it selects the current page)."
 
+[[feature]]
+id = "view.column-select"
+title = "Column select (Alt/Option-drag a rectangle of text)"
+area = "B"
+tier = "P2"
+milestone = "M3"
+status = "shipped"
+commands = ["edit.column_select"]
+tools = ["text_extract"]
+evidence = ["crates/render/src/text.rs::a_column_selection_takes_one_table_column", "crates/render/src/text.rs::a_column_selection_across_columns_reads_row_by_row", "crates/render/src/text.rs::right_to_left_rows_read_right_to_left", "crates/render/src/text.rs::vertical_lines_keep_reading_order", "crates/ui-egui/tests/column_select.rs::alt_drag_selects_only_the_text_inside_the_rectangle", "crates/ui-egui/tests/column_select.rs::the_column_select_tool_needs_no_modifier", "crates/ui-egui/tests/column_select.rs::alt_drag_with_the_highlighter_marks_only_the_column", "crates/automation/tests/automation.rs::text_extract_with_a_rect_takes_one_column"]
+notes = "Issue #740. Holding Alt (Option on macOS) when a drag starts selects only the text inside the rectangle drawn, with the Select tool, the text markup tools and Redact (with Highlight and Redact the drag must start on text, since off text they draw an area box). Edit ▸ Column select does the same with a plain drag. A glyph counts when its centre is inside. Copy gives one row per visual line, top to bottom; pieces side by side (table cells) are separated by a tab, right to left in right-to-left rows; vertical text keeps reading order. text_extract takes the same rectangle as rect. Platforms: on Linux desktops whose window manager moves windows with Alt-drag (Xfce, Cinnamon and MATE by default; KDE Plasma 5 and other setups with Alt as the window modifier; GNOME and Plasma 6 use Super) the drag never reaches PdfCraft, so use Edit ▸ Column select or change that setting. On Windows, releasing Alt does not open a system menu (the window has no native menu). The web build has the same Linux caveat in the browser. Checked by hand on Linux (Fedora) with the Column select tool; Alt/Option-drag, and macOS and Windows generally, rest on the kittest tests. Missing: selection across pages, ⇧-click extending a column, a default shortcut, and a check of Acrobat's own copied-text format (not observed)."
+
 [[feature]]
 id = "view.copy-text"
 title = "Copy selected text"