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OCR PDF

Make scanned pages searchable, so you can find, select and copy their text.

Runs in your browser. Your file is never uploaded.

OCR PDF in short

Add a scanned PDF, then select Make searchable. Each page without text is read on your device, then download the searchable copy. It's free, there's no sign-up, and it runs in your browser, so the file never leaves your device.

How to use OCR PDF

  1. 1Add a scanned PDF.
  2. 2Select Make searchable. Each page without text is read on your device.
  3. 3Download the searchable copy.

Good to know

  • The pages look exactly the same. The recognised text sits invisibly over each scan, the way scanner software does it, so you can search, select and copy.
  • Reads English text. Other languages come out as garbled or missing words.
  • Pages that already have text are left alone, so a document that's part scan, part digital only gets the scanned pages read.
  • Accuracy depends on the scan. Clean 300 DPI pages read well; faint, skewed or handwritten pages read poorly.
  • Recognition runs in your browser, which takes a few seconds per page. The first run downloads the 3 MB English model, which your browser keeps for next time.
  • This tool runs in your browser. Very large files depend on your device's memory.

OCR PDF: common questions

Is OCR PDF free?
Yes. OCR PDF is free and works without an account, for files up to 25 MB and 150 pages. A free account raises that to 50 MB and 400 pages.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. OCR PDF runs in your web browser, so the file is read on your own device and never sent to ConvertFile.
Will OCR change how my PDF looks?
No. The scanned images stay exactly as they were. The recognised words are added as invisible text lined up with the words on the page, so search and selection work while the page looks untouched.
Why are some words wrong after OCR?
Recognition is a best guess from the image. Low resolution, faint print, skewed pages, unusual fonts and handwriting all lower accuracy. Rescanning at 300 DPI usually helps most.
Does OCR PDF work on Mac, Windows, Android and iPhone?
Yes. It runs in any modern web browser, with nothing to install. Very large files work best on a desktop or laptop, because in-browser tools use your device's memory.

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