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OCR

Create searchable PDF

If your PDF document contains only image pages, the text cannot be copied. By restoring the characters, a new text layer is added over the scanned pages, making the document available in textual form.

Click hereor drag and drop your PDF(s)
Selected language:
Model:
DPI:
OCR online – fast and private.
The optical character recognition (OCR) runs locally in your browser, so your files never leave your device. An accurate text layer (OCR text recognition) is placed above each scanned PDF page, making the document searchable and copyable. Also known as: OCR optical character recognition, optical character reader, optical recognition and for forms optical mark recognition (OMR).
– No upload, no data sharing.
– Fast local processing for better privacy.
– Accurate character recovery for copyable, indexable PDFs.

OCR – create searchable PDFs (text layer above scanned pages)

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) runs in your browser, so no files are uploaded. An invisible text layer is added over image-based PDF pages, making the document searchable and the text copyable. Set the language (multiple languages can be selected), the model (Accurate/Fast) and the DPI (120–300) for the desired quality–speed balance.

How to use?

  1. Add PDF(s): click to upload or drag and drop your files.
  2. Select language(s): choose the OCR languages (multiple languages can be selected).
  3. Model & DPI: choose the Accurate or Fast model and set the DPI (typically 150–200).
  4. Start OCR: the searchable document(s) will be saved in a ZIP archive.

Typical uses

  • Scanned invoices and contracts – digitize and make them searchable.
  • Accounting/archiving – indexing for quick retrieval.
  • Educational notes and articles – add a searchable text layer.
  • Before portal submission – enable text highlighting and easier referencing.
  • Citing content more accurately with copyable text.

Frequently asked questions

Is handwriting supported?
OCR is mainly optimized for printed/typed text; it is only partially suitable for handwriting.
Does the appearance of the PDF change?
No. The images remain; the text layer is invisible, so the appearance is unchanged.
Which languages are available?
The Language selector offers dozens of languages; you can select multiple languages for mixed language documents.
Can password-protected PDFs be processed?
No. Processing password-protected PDFs is not supported – remove the protection first, then try again.

Related tools: PDF compression, PDF merge, PDF → image.