OCR PDF Online — Convert Scans to Searchable PDF
Unlock scanned documents by generating an invisible, selectable text layer using Tesseract OCR. Select, search, and copy text from scanned PDFs without data uploads.
How to OCR a scanned PDF?
Step-by-step character recognition guide
Upload Scanned PDF
Select or drag & drop your image-only PDF into the OCR scanner workspace. The document opens instantly.
Run OCR Process
Set document language parameters and click 'Run OCR'. Tesseract extracts text and builds layers locally.
Download PDF
Click 'Download PDF' to save your file. Open the document to search, highlight, and copy text freely.
In-Browser OCR PDF Features
Fast browser-based operations without queues or subscriptions. Tailor files instantly and secure privacy.
No Data Uploads
Scan and build layers inside your browser sandbox. 100% confidential, secure, and private.
Searchable Layer Injected
Injects an invisible text overlay exactly matching original scans, enabling search.
Preserves Scans Layout
Text is positioned dynamically at original coordinate positions, matching images.
Extract Text Sister
Need raw text blocks only? Use our Extract Text tool to parse characters instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
OCR PDF FAQs
How can I convert a scanned PDF to a searchable PDF?
Upload your scanned PDF to our OCR PDF tool. Select your document's language and click 'Run OCR'. Our in-browser Tesseract engine scans the document, injects a selectable text layer, and downloads the searchable PDF.
Is my scanned document uploaded to a server?
No! Tesseract OCR operates completely inside your web browser sandbox using WebAssembly. No text elements or document pages are ever transmitted to external servers.
What languages does the OCR tool support?
The OCR engine is configured with English text datasets by default to recognize alphanumeric characters, ensuring fast and accurate layouts parsing.
Does OCR PDF support big file sizes?
Since OCR runs within your browser, processing speed depends on your machine's processor and memory. We recommend splitting large documents into segments for the fastest performance.