Make scanned PDFs searchable and copyable with text recognition that runs on this device. Scanned pages are only pictures, so you cannot search them or copy a sentence. Each page is read with OCR and an invisible layer of real text is laid exactly over the words, while the pages look just as they did. It is free, and your files never leave this device.
How to make a PDF searchable, step by step
- Drop a scanned PDF on the page or press Choose a scanned PDF.
- Choose the Language the document is written in.
- Choose the Detail: Quick for clear, large text or Thorough for small print and faint copies.
- Keep Skip pages with text on if some pages already have real text.
- Press Make searchable, check the text found on the first page, then press Download searchable PDF.
How it works
Every page is drawn as a sharp image and read by an OCR engine that runs inside your browser. The words it finds are written into the page as invisible text, placed and sized to sit over the printed words. Your original pages are kept as they are, so the file looks the same, but now you can press Ctrl+F or Cmd+F to find a word, select a paragraph, or copy a table into a spreadsheet.
Getting good results
- Choose the language the document is written in, so accents and special letters are read correctly. English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch and Indonesian are available.
- Use Thorough for small print, faint copies and dense pages. Quick is fine for clear, large text.
- Straight, printed text works best. Handwriting is not supported.
- Pages that already contain real text are skipped by default, so mixed documents are not read twice.
- Scan at a good resolution and keep pages flat and straight.
Why make a PDF searchable
Students can search scanned textbooks and handouts. Offices can find a word in a stack of old paperwork. Anyone who scanned a contract, a letter or a form can copy the text out without retyping it. A searchable PDF also works better with screen readers. To get the words as a Word file afterwards, try PDF to Word.
Privacy
The OCR engine and its language data are downloaded to your browser once, and every page is read right here. Your PDF is never uploaded, and the searchable copy is saved straight to your device.
Questions
Will the PDF look different?
No. The pages stay as they were, and the new text sits invisibly on top.
Can it read handwriting?
No. It works with printed text.
Why are some words wrong?
Poor scans, faint print and unusual fonts can confuse text recognition. Try Thorough and the right language, or a better scan.
How long does it take?
It depends on the number of pages, the detail setting and your device. Thorough takes longer than Quick.