Make a scanned PDF searchable with OCR
Run optical character recognition on a scanned PDF so the text becomes searchable and selectable. Recognition runs in your browser.
Runs in your browser — this file is never uploaded
How to make a scanned PDF searchable with OCR
- 1
Drop in the scan
Add a scanned PDF — a document that is really a picture of pages, so its words cannot be searched or copied.
- 2
Pick the language
Choose the language the document is written in. If it mixes languages, tick up to three.
- 3
Download the searchable PDF
Every page is read on your device. The result looks exactly like the original, but now you can search, select and copy its text.
Guides
Frequently asked
Will my PDF look different?+
No. The recognised text is added as an invisible layer lined up under the words on each page. The pages themselves are not changed, so the file looks the same and barely grows.
How accurate is it?+
Very good on clean, straight scans of printed text. Accuracy drops with faint, blurry, skewed or very small print, and handwriting is generally not recognised.
Why is it slower than other tools?+
Reading text from an image is real work, and it all happens on your own device rather than a server — so expect a few seconds per page, depending on your computer.
Is OCR PDF free to use?+
Yes. OCR PDF is free and unlimited, with no account and no watermark added to your document.
Are my files uploaded to a server?+
No. OCR PDF runs entirely inside your browser, so the document never leaves your device.
Which browsers does it work in?+
Any current version of Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari, on desktop, tablet and phone.