Make a scanned PDF searchable
OCR reads the text in scanned pages and adds it behind the image, so you can search and select it. Pages that already have text are left alone.
How to use OCR PDF
- Choose or drop one scanned PDF.
- Pick the language of the text.
- Press OCR scanned PDF and download searchable.pdf.
Supported files and limits
- One PDF at a time, up to 50 MB and 50 pages.
- English is supported; other languages depend on what is installed on the server.
- Accuracy depends on scan quality.
Your files and privacy
This tool sends your file to our server, which processes it to make the result. The server is built to remove the temporary copy when processing ends. The privacy page has the details. Read the privacy notice.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is it?
Clean, straight, high-resolution scans work best. Blurry or skewed pages can have mistakes.
Does it change how the PDF looks?
No. The pages look the same; text is added behind them.
Does it give me a Word file?
No, it makes a searchable PDF. Use PDF to Word afterward if you need the text.