OCR PDF – Convert Scanned PDFs into Editable Text
Run OCR on scanned PDFs to add a text layer. Search, copy, edit, and translate the content.
Drop scanned PDF here or click to select
One PDF • OCR adds searchable text layer
Introduction
OCR (Optical Character Recognition) turns image-based text in a PDF into selectable, searchable text. Scanned PDFs and photos saved as PDFs contain only images of text; without OCR you cannot search, copy, or edit that text. Running OCR adds a hidden text layer on top of the images so that readers and software can find and use the text. That enables search, copy, edit, and translation of scanned content.
Scanned PDFs need OCR when you want to find text, quote it, edit it in another tool, or translate it. Many workflows (legal, academic, archival) require searchable documents. OCR PDF tools run in the browser; you upload a scanned PDF, the tool runs recognition, and you download a PDF with an added text layer. No software installation is required. Files are processed temporarily and are not stored on our servers.
What is OCR PDF?
A text-based PDF stores characters and fonts; you can select and search the text. An image-based (scanned) PDF stores only pictures of pages; the text is not selectable or searchable. Optical Character Recognition analyzes those images, detects characters, and builds a text layer that aligns with the visible text. After OCR, the PDF remains visually the same but gains searchable, selectable text. You can search inside the document, copy passages, edit in PDF to Word, or translate with a PDF translator.
How OCR PDF works
- Upload a scanned PDF.
- Text recognition runs on each page.
- A text layer is created and embedded in the PDF.
- Download the searchable PDF.
When do you need OCR?
Scanned documents. Any PDF created by scanning paper (contracts, forms, letters) is image-only until you run OCR.
Photos saved as PDF. Images or photos exported or saved as PDF have no text layer; OCR can extract visible text if present.
Old books and archives. Digitized books and archival scans are usually image-only; OCR makes them searchable.
Contracts and certificates. Signed or scanned contracts and certificates often need OCR for search and compliance.
PDFs that cannot be selected or searched. If you cannot select or search text in a PDF, it is likely image-based and needs OCR.
Credits
One OCR operation uses one credit. Using OCR and another tool (e.g. translate or convert) consumes an additional credit for that operation. If the OCR process fails or you cancel, no credit is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Guides related to OCR PDF
- How to OCR a scanned PDF
What scanned PDFs are, how OCR works, step-by-step process, and common mistakes.
- Make a PDF searchable using OCR
Difference between searchable and non-searchable PDFs; OCR workflow and examples.
- OCR PDF before translating or converting
Why OCR is required before translate or PDF to Word; when OCR is not needed.