OCR PDF
Run English OCR locally and add an invisible text layer so scanned PDF pages become searchable, selectable and copyable.
*Local PDF tools after the app and required resources have loaded. Optional cloud AI and checkout need a connection.
The interactive tool loads in your browser.
How to OCR a scanned PDF and make it searchable
Run English optical character recognition locally and create a downloadable PDF with an invisible text layer. The visible scan stays in place while recognised words become searchable and selectable.
- Choose the scanned or image-based PDF.
- Start OCR and allow the required local OCR resources to load.
- Let each page be recognised and rebuilt with its searchable text layer.
- Download the searchable PDF.
- Open the result and test Ctrl+F or Cmd+F, then verify important names and numbers against the scan.
A practical example
A scanned seven-page invoice bundle may look correct but contain no selectable text. OCR can preserve the visible page images while adding recognised text beneath them so you can search for an invoice number or copy a line of text.
Common questions
What does OCR PDF mean?
OCR reads characters from scanned page images and converts the recognised words into machine-readable text.
Will the searchable PDF look different?
The workflow keeps the visible scanned page and adds an invisible coordinate-based text layer beneath it, so the document appearance is intended to remain unchanged while search and text selection become available.
Which OCR language is currently supported?
The current searchable-PDF workflow provides English OCR.
Will OCR always be completely accurate?
No. Accuracy depends on scan resolution, contrast, fonts, skew, handwriting and image clarity. Verify important values manually.
Does OCR upload my PDF?
The OCR operation runs in your browser. Required application or OCR resources may need to load before local processing is available.