Make a scanned PDF searchable
Upload the scanned PDF, choose the document language and start text recognition. You get the same PDF back — visually unchanged — but with an invisible text layer. Now Ctrl+F finds words, and you can select and copy text.
Choose files
or drag and dropPDF, JPG, PNG, WEBP
Tip: sharp scans with at least 300 dpi give the best results.
Your files never leave your device — everything runs locally in your browser.
How it works
- 1
Upload the PDF
The scanned document.
- 2
Choose the language
Several languages can be combined.
- 3
Recognize
OCR runs page by page; progress is shown.
- 4
Download
The searchable PDF looks exactly like the original.
What “searchable” means
The recognized text is placed invisibly behind the scanned image, exactly where the words appear. You keep seeing the original scan, but search, copy and screen readers use the text layer.
Why it’s worth it
- Find contracts, invoices and letters in your archive by searching for a word.
- Desktop search tools index the content.
- Screen readers can read the document aloud — better accessibility.
- Text can be copied into emails or documents.
A searchable PDF is slightly larger than the plain scan. If size matters, compress it losslessly afterwards.
Tips
- Straight, well-lit scans at 300 DPI give the best results.
- The page image stays untouched; the recognized text sits invisibly on top, so the original is preserved.
- Pages that already contain text are skipped automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Does the look of the PDF change?
No, the text layer is invisible.
How long does it take?
A few seconds per page, depending on your device.
What if the PDF already has text?
Then no OCR is needed; the tool tells you.