Choose the right pages
OCR every page or enter ranges such as 1, 3-5. The tool checks for existing selectable text before processing.
PDF Tools · Local processing
OCR PDF
Make scanned PDFs searchable with English OCR while preserving the original page appearance.
English OCR · original pages preserved
Make a scanned PDF searchable
The practical guide
Add a searchable text layer without replacing the scan.
Selected pages are rendered only for recognition. The original PDF pages remain underneath a positioned, invisible text layer.
Review OCR expectations
Clear, straight, high-resolution English text works best. Handwriting, multi-column pages, forms, tables, and faint scans can be less accurate.
Searchable, not reconstructed
OCR adds searchable and selectable words. It does not recreate the original document’s semantic structure, reading order, form fields, or source layout.
Privacy by architecture
Your files and tool inputs stay in your browser.
Your PDF and OCR results are processed locally in your browser. The document is not uploaded to any server.
Questions, answered
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. PDF rendering, English OCR, text placement, and export run locally in this browser.
What is a searchable PDF?
It keeps the scanned page image and adds text data that PDF viewers can search or select.
Does OCR work on handwriting?
It may recognize clear handwriting, but accuracy is usually lower than for printed text.
Will the original scan still be visible?
Yes. The tool preserves the original PDF page and adds a transparent text layer.
Why is OCR accuracy sometimes lower?
Low resolution, skew, blur, unusual fonts, columns, tables, and complex backgrounds make recognition and word placement harder.