OCR PDF – Make Scans Searchable

Turn a scanned PDF into one you can search and copy from, while it still looks exactly the same.

🔒 Your files are processed on your device and never uploaded.

OCR PDF at a glance

Price: Free
Account: Not needed
Watermark: None
Privacy: Files are processed inside your browser and are never uploaded.
Works on: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone – in any modern browser
Install: Nothing to install

Looks the sameAn invisible text layer is added under the scan – the pages do not change.

Search and copyFind words with Ctrl+F and copy text in any PDF reader.

Text file tooDownload all the recognised text as a .txt file as well.

How to use OCR PDF

Press Select PDF file and choose a scanned PDF.
Tick the language(s) and choose pages.
Press Make PDF searchable and download.

Why make a PDF searchable?

Scanned documents are just pictures, so you cannot search them, copy a sentence or let a screen reader read them aloud. After OCR, you can find any word instantly, copy quotes and numbers, and organise files by their content.

Good to know

Each page takes a few seconds to read; long documents need some patience.
Pages that already contain text are skipped, so mixed documents are fast.
Accuracy depends on scan quality – 300 DPI scans give the best results.

What OCR adds

A scanned PDF is just pictures of pages. OCR reads the letters and places invisible, selectable text exactly over them. The pages look the same, but now you can search with Ctrl+F, copy text, and convert to Word or Excel.

Tips

Choose every language that appears in the document – for example English and Urdu.
Straighten crooked pages first with Rotate PDF for better accuracy.
Large documents take a while because everything is read on your device; keep the page open.

Frequently asked questions

What does OCR PDF do?

It reads the words on scanned pages and adds an invisible text layer, so you can search, select and copy text in a PDF that was only pictures before.

Is OCR PDF free?

Yes, free with no page limit set by us.

Will my PDF look different?

No. The text layer is invisible; you only notice it when you search or select.

Which languages are supported?

English, Urdu, Hindi and Arabic. Choose the languages used in your document before starting.

How long does it take?

Usually a few seconds per page, depending on your device. Long scans take a while – keep the page open until it finishes.

Is my PDF uploaded?

No. All reading happens in your browser.

Guides for this tool

Ebooks & Writing"EPUB vs PDF: Which E-book Format Should You Use?"

The real differences between EPUB and PDF for e-books, study material and self-published books, which one readers prefer on phones and e-readers, and how to convert between them.

10 min read

PDF GuidesHow to Translate a PDF and Keep the Original Layout

Translate PDFs into Urdu, Arabic, English, Spanish and 100+ other languages while keeping pictures, headings and page layout. When to trust machine translation and how to check it.

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Ebooks & Writing"PDF to Audio: How to Listen to Documents and Books With Natural AI Voices"

Turn PDFs, notes and reports into MP3 audiobooks with natural-sounding AI voices. Learn how to choose a voice, clean the text, set the speed and listen on the go.