PDF UtilitiesPDF EditorFree Tool

PDF OCR

Add a searchable text layer to scanned PDF pages using Optical Character Recognition. The document looks identical but text can now be selected, copied, and found by Ctrl+F search.

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How to Use PDF OCR
  1. 1Upload the scanned PDF you want to make searchable
  2. 2Select the language of the document text for best OCR accuracy
  3. 3Click 'Run OCR' to process — the tool analyses each page
  4. 4The result is a PDF identical in appearance but with a searchable text layer
  5. 5Download the OCR PDF and test by pressing Ctrl+F to search for a word
Examples
  • Make a scanned policy document searchable so staff can find clauses using Ctrl+F
  • Convert a scanned tax return PDF into searchable text for digital filing
  • Apply OCR to a batch of scanned invoices to enable text extraction for accounting software
  • Make a scanned research paper searchable and selectable for citation copying
Frequently Asked Questions

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) analyses images of text and converts them to actual selectable text data. Scanned PDFs store pages as images — there is no text to search or copy. OCR adds that text layer.

No. The visual appearance is unchanged. The page still displays as the original scan. OCR adds an invisible text layer behind it that enables searching and selection.

Most OCR tools support English, Hindi, French, German, Spanish, and many other languages. Accuracy depends on print clarity and font type — typed text is recognised more accurately than handwriting.

Accuracy depends on scan quality. Clean, high-resolution scans (300 DPI minimum) of typed text typically achieve 95–99% accuracy. Handwriting, low-resolution scans, and unusual fonts reduce accuracy.

If the PDF already has a text layer (not a scanned image), OCR is unnecessary. The tool may still process it but may produce duplicate text layers.

Yes. OCR processing runs in your browser using client-side libraries. Your document is never uploaded to any server.

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