Add a scanned PDF
Choose the image-only PDF you want to make searchable.
OCR PDF
Upload a scanned PDF to make its text searchable and selectable.
Select PDF file
or drop a PDF here
Single PDF file up to 50 MB
About this optimize pdf tool
OCR PDF online — make scanned PDFs searchable
Turn a scanned, image-only PDF into a searchable one. Optical character recognition adds an invisible text layer, so you can search, select and copy text while every page looks exactly as scanned.
The PDF is uploaded for server-side OCR. Choose the language of the document for the best accuracy, and keep 'Scanned pages only' selected unless the text already in your PDF is wrong.
How it works
Finish your document in three steps
Pick the language
Select the document language and whether pages with text are re-processed.
Download the searchable PDF
Save the result, then search or copy its text in any PDF viewer.
Get the best result
Tips for better results
- Choose the language the document is written in; the wrong language gives poor results.
- Clear, straight, high-contrast scans (300 DPI or more) give the most accurate text.
- Keep 'Scanned pages only' selected unless copying text from your PDF gives garbled characters; 'All pages' re-reads every page and is slower.
- Test the result by pressing Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac) in your PDF viewer and searching for a word on the page.
Server-side processing
This tool sends your file or document content to PDF Utility's server for processing and returns the finished result. Use a local-processing tool instead when a document must not leave your device.
Frequently asked questions
OCR PDF online — make scanned PDFs searchable FAQ
Quick answers about formats, processing and what to expect from this tool.
What does OCR PDF do?
OCR (optical character recognition) reads the text in the images of a scanned PDF and adds an invisible text layer on top of each page. The pages look the same, but you can now search, select and copy the text.
How do I make a scanned PDF searchable?
Upload the scanned PDF, choose the language of the document and select Make searchable. Download the result and press Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac) in your PDF viewer to search for a word.
Which languages are supported?
English, Hindi, Spanish, French and German. Choose the language the document is written in, because recognizing text with the wrong language gives poor results.
Should I choose 'Scanned pages only' or 'All pages'?
Choose 'Scanned pages only' for scans and image-based PDFs. Pages that already have selectable text are left untouched. Choose 'All pages, replace existing text' only if copying text from your PDF gives wrong or garbled characters, because it reads every page again and replaces the existing text.
How accurate is the recognized text?
It depends on the scan. Clear, straight, high-contrast pages recognize well, while blurry, skewed or low-resolution scans, handwriting and unusual fonts produce more mistakes. Proofread anything important.
Will the PDF look different after OCR?
No. The original page images are kept and the recognized text is added invisibly behind them. Pages may be straightened or rotated upright when the scan was crooked, and the file is usually a little larger.
Is my PDF uploaded for OCR?
Yes. OCR requires server-side processing, so the file is uploaded to PDF Utility and the searchable PDF is returned to your browser. Uploaded files are deleted from the server as soon as the result is sent.
Is OCR PDF free?
Yes. OCR PDF is free to use with no account or sign-up, and PDF Utility does not add its own watermark to your file. Server-powered tools have fair-use limits, so if you see a "too many requests" message, wait a few minutes and try again.
Learn more
Related guides
How to Make a Scanned PDF Searchable with OCR
Turn a scanned PDF into searchable, selectable text for free with OCR. Pick the right language, check the result and learn when PDF to Word is a better fit.
3 min read
How to Redact a PDF So the Text Is Really Gone
Why a black box over text does not hide it, and how to redact names, numbers and addresses so they cannot be copied, searched or recovered from the file.
2 min read
Keep working
Explore more PDF tools
Continue your workflow with another PDF utility.
PDF to Word
Convert PDF content into an editable Word document. Extract text into a DOCX file that you can update, format and reuse.
Compress PDF
Reduce PDF file size for easier sharing, emailing and storage while preserving clear, readable document quality.
Rotate PDF
Fix sideways or upside-down PDF pages. Rotate every page or selected pages by 90 degrees and download the corrected document.
Compare PDF
Compare the text in two PDF documents and quickly identify additions, removals and other content changes between file versions.