OCR PDF
OCR PDF files online for free. Turn scanned PDFs into searchable, selectable text in your browser, in many languages. Your files stay on your device.
Upload PDF File
About This Tool
OCR PDF uses Optical Character Recognition to extract text from scanned documents and images within PDFs. Convert image-based PDFs into searchable, selectable text documents.
Support for multiple languages ensures accurate text recognition regardless of the document's language. The original layout is preserved while adding a searchable text layer.
All OCR processing happens in your browser, ensuring your documents remain private.
Select the correct document language before starting, and add a second language if the text mixes them, since this has a large effect on accuracy. Clean, straight scans at around 300 DPI produce the best results; rotate crooked pages first and avoid heavy compression beforehand. Handwriting, stamps, and decorative fonts are recognized poorly. After processing, search for a few known words to confirm the text layer works, and spot-check numbers in tables.
Scanned documents that need OCR are often paper records: contracts, medical letters, old tax forms. TokPDF runs the recognition engine as WebAssembly inside your browser, so the scans are never uploaded to a cloud OCR service. Recognition can take a little longer on long files because your own device does the work, but the trade-off is that the content stays entirely in your hands.
How to Use
Upload Scanned PDF
Drag and drop your scanned PDF or click to select.
Select Language
Choose the document language for accurate recognition.
Process and Download
Click Process to run OCR and download the searchable PDF.
Use Cases
Digitize Archives
Make scanned document archives searchable.
Document Search
Enable text search in scanned documents.
Text Extraction
Extract text from scanned documents for editing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What languages are supported?
Over 100 languages are supported including English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and more.
Will the original layout be preserved?
Yes, the original visual layout is preserved with a searchable text layer added.
How accurate is the OCR?
Accuracy depends on scan quality but typically exceeds 95% for clear documents.
How do I make a scanned PDF searchable?
Load the scanned PDF into OCR PDF, select the document language, and start recognition. The tool adds an invisible text layer behind the page images. Download the result and you can search, select, and copy text in any PDF viewer.
How do I copy text from a scanned PDF?
Run the PDF through OCR first. Once the text layer is added, open the new file in your PDF viewer and select text as usual. Check copied passages for recognition errors, especially numbers, names, and characters that look alike.
Why does OCR take a while?
Text recognition is computationally heavy, and TokPDF runs it on your own device instead of a server. Speed depends on page count, image resolution, and your computer or phone. Keep the tab open until it finishes.
Can OCR recognize handwriting?
OCR is designed for printed text and generally performs poorly on handwriting, especially cursive. Neat block capitals may be partly recognized. For handwritten pages, expect to review and correct the results or type them manually.