OCR — make a scanned PDF searchable
A scan is a picture of words — you cannot search it, select it or copy from it. OCR reads the text and adds an invisible layer behind the image, so the page looks identical but becomes searchable.
How to oCR — make a scanned PDF searchable
Upload the scanned PDF or image.
Choose the output — searchable PDF, PDF/A, plain text or Word — and enable deskew or high-accuracy mode if needed.
Run the recognition and download the result.
Frequently asked questions
Will the page still look the same?
Yes. In a searchable PDF the original image stays visible and the recognised text sits invisibly behind it.
How accurate is it?
Very good on clean, straight, reasonably sharp scans. Blurred, skewed or low-resolution originals lose accuracy — deskew and high-accuracy mode help.
What is PDF/A for?
PDF/A is the archival standard, used when a document must remain readable long-term. Some institutions require it.
Related tools
- Extract data from a documentPull emails, phone numbers, GST and PAN numbers, dates, amounts and addresses out of a PDF or image. Export JSON or text. Free online.
- Scan a document with your cameraTurn a photo of a page into a clean scan. Detects the page, fixes perspective, removes shadows and sharpens text. Free online.
- Convert PDF to WordConvert a PDF into an editable Word document (.docx) with layout and text preserved. Free online converter, no account needed.
- Convert PDF to textExtract all the text from a PDF into a plain .txt file — fast, clean and free. Ideal for copying, searching or feeding into other tools.
Your files stay private
Files you upload without an account are processed and then deleted automatically — they are never added to anyone's storage and are not used to train anything. Transfers are encrypted in both directions. Create a free account if you would rather keep your documents in a private vault, or see the pricing plans for unlimited use.