OCR PDF (Make Searchable)
Add a searchable OCR text layer to a scanned PDF.
Click to upload or drag & drop
Select a scanned PDF file
How to use the OCR PDF (Make Searchable)
- 1Upload your scanned PDF
Drag and drop or click to select the scanned PDF.
- 2Choose a language
Leave it as English (eng) or enter another language code.
- 3Make Searchable
Click Make Searchable and our server OCRs every page.
- 4Download
The searchable PDF downloads automatically.
Make a scanned PDF searchable with OCR
A scanned PDF is just pictures of pages — you can't select or search the text. This OCR PDF tool renders each page, recognises the words with the Tesseract OCR engine, and adds an invisible text layer on top, so the PDF looks identical but is now fully selectable and searchable. It reuses Ghostscript, Tesseract and qpdf on our server.
When to use it
- Make a scanned contract or book searchable.
- Copy text out of a scanned document.
- Let readers Ctrl+F through a scanned PDF.
Private & secure
Your file is uploaded over an encrypted HTTPS connection, converted on our server and streamed straight back to your device. Each request runs in its own isolated workspace that is deleted the instant the result is returned, so nothing is ever stored or shared.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the PDF still look the same?
Yes. The original page images are kept exactly; OCR only adds an invisible text layer behind them, so nothing visible changes but the text becomes selectable and searchable.
Which languages are supported?
English works by default. Enter a code such as eng, or combine languages like eng+ben, as long as that language pack is installed on the server. Clear, straight scans give the best accuracy.
How long does it take?
OCR runs page by page, so a long document takes longer than a short one. Very large scans may take a minute or two.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
Yes. Unlike our browser-based tools, the OCR PDF (Make Searchable) runs on our secure server because it needs professional desktop-grade software to do the job well. Your file is processed in an isolated workspace and deleted automatically the moment the result is sent back — nothing is stored, logged or shared.
Is it free? Is there a watermark or size limit?
It is completely free with no sign-up and no watermark. Files up to 100 MB are supported per conversion.