PDF OCR
Turn scanned PDF files into searchable PDF files. OCR recognizes the text in 120+ languages so you can search, select, and copy it, while the pages look exactly the same.
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Select a scanned PDF file to make it searchable (OCR)
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How to OCR a PDF
A scanned PDF is just a picture of text: you can't search it, select a sentence, or copy a number from it. ToolifyPDF's free PDF OCR tool recognizes the text on every page and adds it as an invisible text layer behind the scan. Your pages look exactly the same, but now Ctrl+F finds words, and you can select and copy text. Choose from more than 120 languages, process up to 10 PDF files at once, and download your searchable PDF. No software to install and no account.
Searchable Scanned PDF Files
Find any word in a scanned contract, invoice, or book with Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac), and select or copy text like in any normal PDF.
120+ OCR Languages
Pick the language of your document, or several languages for mixed documents, such as French and English, for more accurate recognition.
Same Look as the Original
The recognized text is added as an invisible layer behind each page, so the scan keeps its original appearance.
How to Make a Scanned PDF Searchable
- Select Files: Click "Select Files" or drag and drop one or more scanned PDF files into the box.
- Choose the Language: Open the language list and select the language of your document. You can select more than one.
- Start OCR: Click "Start OCR" and wait while the text is recognized.
- Download: Save your searchable PDF. Several files are downloaded together as a ZIP.
OCR PDF Files on Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android
ToolifyPDF works in any modern browser. You can make PDF files searchable on Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, or Android without installing OCR software. It works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge.
Why Use ToolifyPDF for PDF OCR?
OCR is usually locked behind paid PDF software. ToolifyPDF gives you the same searchable PDF files for free, in more than 120 languages, from any computer. It's perfect for:
- Making scanned contracts, invoices, and receipts searchable
- Finding words with Ctrl+F in scanned books, manuals, and course notes
- Copying text or numbers from a scan instead of typing them again
- Building a searchable archive of old paper documents
- Preparing scans before converting them to Word or plain text
FAQ
What is PDF OCR?
OCR (optical character recognition) reads the letters in an image and turns them into real text. When you scan a document, the PDF only contains pictures of the pages. PDF OCR recognizes the text in those pictures and adds it to the file, so the PDF becomes searchable and the text can be selected and copied.
How do I make a scanned PDF searchable?
Upload the scanned PDF to ToolifyPDF, choose the language of the document, and click "Start OCR". When it's done, download the new PDF. You can now search it with Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac) in any PDF reader.
Does OCR change how my PDF looks?
No. The recognized text is placed in an invisible layer behind each page, so the scan looks the same. Large images may be compressed slightly to keep the file size reasonable.
Which languages are supported?
More than 120 languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Arabic, Russian, Hindi, Chinese, and Japanese. For a document that mixes languages, select all of them in the list for better results.
How accurate is the OCR?
On clean scans of printed text, recognition is usually very accurate, including accents. Results are less reliable on blurry or very low-resolution scans, faint photocopies, and unusual fonts. For best results, scan at 300 DPI and choose the correct language.
Can OCR read handwriting?
Not reliably. The OCR engine is made for printed and typed text. Neat block capitals may partly work, but cursive handwriting usually won't be recognized correctly.
Do I need OCR if I can already select text in my PDF?
No. If you can select text, the PDF already contains real text and OCR won't help. Running OCR on such a file turns the pages into images with a text layer, which can make the text look less sharp. Use OCR only for scans and photos of documents.
Can I OCR several PDF files at once?
Yes. You can upload up to 10 PDF files at a time. Each file is processed with the languages you choose, and you download them together in a ZIP file.
What can I do with the text after OCR?
You can search the PDF, copy text into an email or document, and highlight passages. To edit the text, convert the searchable PDF with our PDF to Word tool, or use PDF to Text to get a plain text file.
Is it free, and are there any limits?
Yes, it's completely free, with no account and no watermark. Each PDF can be up to 100 MB, and you can process up to 10 files at once.
Advanced Features
Our PDF OCR tool also offers these useful features:
- Multiple Languages: Select several languages for documents that mix them.
- Clear File Names: Each result keeps its original name with "_ocr" added.
- Batch OCR: Process up to 10 PDF files at once and download them as a ZIP.
- Invisible Text Layer: The original look of each page is kept.
- Password Support: Protected PDF files can be opened with their password.
💡 Pro Tip
OCR quality depends on the scan. Scan in black and white or grayscale at 300 DPI, keep pages straight, and always choose the right language: picking the wrong one is the most common reason for strange characters in the result.
Privacy & Security
We take your privacy seriously. All file uploads and processing happen over encrypted HTTPS connections. Your files are automatically deleted from our servers after one hour, and we never store or share your documents with third parties. You maintain complete control over your data at all times.
Ready to make your scanned PDF searchable?
Start OCR now. It's free, fast, and requires no registration.