Make PDF Searchable Online Free

OCR PDF Online — Make Scanned PDFs Searchable

No downloads needed. Upload a scanned or photo-based PDF and the system automatically runs OCR text recognition, overlaying a transparent text layer on the original pages — making the document searchable, selectable, and copyable. Completely free with no watermarks.

Smart OCR: automatically recognizes text in scanned documents, producing searchable PDFs
Multilingual recognition: accurately identifies Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, and more
Preserves original layout: text layer is overlaid on the original scanned image — appearance unchanged
One-click post-OCR workflows: compress, merge, or convert — no re-uploading needed

Beyond Recognition: Make Scanned Documents Truly Usable

Intelligent Scanned Document Recognition

The OCR engine automatically detects image-based pages in your PDF, recognizing text content page by page and generating a transparent text layer. The recognized PDF looks identical but text becomes searchable, selectable, and copyable.

Multilingual Mixed Recognition

Supports Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, and more — select up to 4 recognition languages simultaneously. Even documents with mixed languages are accurately recognized.

Perfect Layout Preservation

OCR doesn't change the document's appearance. The transparent text layer is precisely overlaid at the corresponding positions on the original scanned image, preserving the original layout, images, and formatting.

Chain Multiple Operations

Combine with compression, merging, or format conversion in one continuous flow — no re-uploading.

Your Files Stay Private

All processing happens on EU servers under strict GDPR rules. Files are never cached or inspected, and are permanently deleted after conversion.

Works in Any Browser

No software to install. Works on Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile devices — just open your browser and convert.

OCR a Scanned PDF in Just 3 Steps

Upload Your Scanned PDF

Click "Choose Files" or drag and drop your scanned PDF into the secure workspace.

Select Recognition Languages

Choose the languages in your document (up to 4). The system optimizes recognition accuracy for the selected languages.

Download Your Searchable PDF

OCR completes in seconds. The downloaded PDF looks identical, but text is now searchable, selectable, and copyable.

OCR PDF FAQ

What is OCR?

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) converts text within images into real, searchable, selectable text. After OCR processing a scanned PDF, you can search keywords, select text, and copy content.

Will OCR change the document's appearance?

No. OCR only overlays a transparent text layer on top of the original scanned image. The document's visual appearance remains completely identical — text just becomes searchable and selectable.

What languages are supported?

Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, and most European languages are supported. You can select up to 4 languages simultaneously for mixed-language recognition.

How accurate is the OCR?

Accuracy primarily depends on source file quality. Clear scans at 300+ DPI can achieve 95%+ accuracy. We recommend using clear scans and proofreading key numbers and dates after OCR.

What are the free plan limits?

Free users can process PDFs up to 100 MB with no watermarks. Need more? Upgrade to Pro for files up to 2 GB.

Is OCR processing safe?

Your files are safe. All data is transferred via 256-bit encryption, processed on EU-based servers under GDPR compliance, and permanently deleted after processing.

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