OCR PDF: Make Scanned Documents Searchable
OCR PDF recognises text in scanned pages and adds an invisible text layer so you can search and copy it. It runs in your browser with English recognition.
Drag & drop your scanned PDF here
or
No signup needed · Recognised locally in your browser — your file is never uploaded
- Free
- No signup
- No watermark
- Files stay on your device
What is OCR PDF?
A scanned PDF is just pictures of text, so you cannot search it, copy from it or convert it well. OCR (optical character recognition) reads the text in each page image and adds an invisible text layer on top, so the PDF looks identical but becomes searchable and selectable.
This tool runs the Tesseract OCR engine inside your browser, so your documents are never uploaded. The first run downloads the engine from this site and may take a few seconds; later runs are faster.
How to ocr pdf in 3 steps
Add your scanned PDF
Drag it in or choose it from your device.
Wait for recognition
Each page is read in turn. Progress is shown as it goes. Larger files take longer on slower devices.
Download
You get a searchable PDF that looks the same as the original.
Good to know: English recognition only. Accuracy depends on scan quality; handwriting is not reliably recognised.
When to use it
Typical uses include making scanned contracts searchable, copying text from a photographed page, or preparing a scan for PDF to Word or PDF to Excel conversion.
OCR is currently set to English. Accuracy is best on clear, straight, 200–300 dpi scans.
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Finish the job with another free tool.
OCR PDF – frequently asked questions
Which languages are supported?
English only for now. Other languages need extra language data files that are not bundled.
Why is it slow on big files?
OCR is processor-intensive and runs on your own device. A 10-page scan can take a minute or more on a phone. Closing other tabs helps.
Will it change how my PDF looks?
No. Each page keeps its original image, with an invisible text layer added behind it.
Is my file uploaded to a server?
No. OCR PDF runs in your browser, so the file stays on your device. Pagemint has no accounts and does not store your documents.
Is OCR PDF free?
Yes. OCR PDF is free to use, with no signup, no watermark and no daily limit.