Choose a scanned PDF, then click "Make it searchable" - each page is read on this device and the recognized words are written back into the file as an invisible text layer.
ACME Supplies - Invoice 4821 Date: 12 October 2025 Total due: 250.00 USD Thank you for your order
OCR PDF - Make a Scanned PDF Searchable in Your Browser
Turn a scanned PDF into a searchable PDF right here in the browser. The pages keep their exact look - every stamp, signature and layout stays pixel-for-pixel the same - while the recognized words are written back into the file as an invisible text layer. After that, Ctrl+F finds words, text can be selected and copied, and the file behaves like a born-digital PDF in any viewer.
Nothing is uploaded at any point. Each page is read on this device by a browser-side recognition engine; the first run downloads that engine - about 8 MB, served from this site - and the browser caches it, so later runs start faster. Because the work happens locally, a contract, a medical record or an old bank statement never leaves your machine.
Not every PDF needs OCR. When you choose a file, the page first checks whether it already has selectable text and tells you what it found. A born-digital PDF - one exported from a word processor - already carries its text, so running OCR on it adds nothing; for those files the PDF to Text tool exports the existing text directly. OCR earns its keep on scans: pages that are only photographs of paper.
Before you download anything, the recognized text is shown page by page, so you can judge the quality first. A clean scan of printed English reads well; a blurry phone photo of a receipt reads worse, and you will see exactly where. The download itself is a normal PDF that opens anywhere - no special viewer, no plugin.
Two limits worth knowing before you start. The engine reads printed English text - handwriting, very low-resolution scans and non-English pages lose accuracy. And a password-protected PDF cannot be processed directly; the Remove PDF Password tool clears the password in the browser first, then OCR runs normally. For a single photo or screenshot rather than a PDF, the Image to Text OCR tool does the same recognition and returns plain text.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. The whole job runs in this browser tab: pages are rendered, read and rebuilt on your device. The only download is the recognition engine itself - about 8 MB served from this site on the first run, which the browser then caches. Your file never leaves your machine.
Will the pages look different after OCR?
No. The original pages are kept exactly as they are - the tool does not re-render or recompress them. The recognized words are added as an invisible text layer on top, so the PDF looks identical but Ctrl+F, select and copy now work.
How do I know the OCR quality is good enough before downloading?
The recognized text is shown page by page after the run. Read a few lines: a clear scan of printed English comes out clean, while blurry or skewed pages show visible errors. Only download when the preview looks right.
My PDF already has selectable text - do I need this?
No. When you choose a file, the page checks for an existing text layer and tells you. A born-digital PDF already carries its text; the PDF to Text tool exports it as plain text directly. OCR only helps on scans - pages that are just images of paper.
Why does it say my PDF cannot be processed?
The most common cause is a password-protected or encrypted PDF - remove the password first (the Remove PDF Password tool does this in the browser), then run OCR again. Handwriting, non-English pages and very low-resolution scans can also come back with few or no recognized words, because the engine reads printed English text.