Drop PDF or image files here to extract text
Support for scanned PDFs, JPG, PNG, and other image formats
🔍 Advanced OCR
State-of-the-art optical character recognition technology for accurate text extraction from scanned documents.
🌍 Multi-Language
Support for 100+ languages including English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, and more with automatic language detection.
📄 Multiple Formats
Process PDFs, JPG, PNG, TIFF, and other image formats. Export as searchable PDF, Word, or plain text.
🎯 High Accuracy
Advanced preprocessing and AI-powered recognition ensure high accuracy even with poor quality scans.
⚡ Fast Processing
Optimized algorithms deliver quick results. Process multiple pages simultaneously with batch support.
🔒 Secure & Private
All processing happens in your browser. Your documents never leave your device, ensuring complete privacy.
Perfect for:
📚 Digital Archives
Convert old scanned books, documents, and archives into searchable digital formats.
💼 Business Documents
Extract text from invoices, receipts, contracts, and other scanned business documents.
📖 Academic Research
Make research papers, thesis documents, and academic materials searchable and citable.
📷 Photo Text
Extract text from photos of documents, whiteboards, signs, or any image containing text.
OCR Features
🔤 Text Recognition
Accurately recognize printed and handwritten text with advanced character recognition algorithms.
📐 Layout Preservation
Maintain original document layout including columns, tables, and formatting in the output.
🔍 Searchable PDFs
Create searchable PDFs with invisible text layer, preserving original appearance while enabling search.
✏️ Editable Output
Export recognized text to editable formats like Word documents or plain text files.
How to Use OCR PDF
Upload Files
Select scanned PDFs or image files containing text. Support for multiple file formats.
Select Language
Choose the document language or use auto-detection for optimal recognition accuracy.
Process & Review
OCR processing begins automatically. Review the extracted text and make any necessary corrections.
Download Results
Export as searchable PDF, Word document, or plain text file.
💡 Pro Tips:
- Image Quality: Higher resolution images (300 DPI or more) produce better OCR results
- Clean Scans: Ensure documents are straight and well-lit for optimal recognition
- Language Selection: Selecting the correct language improves accuracy significantly
- Review Results: Always review OCR output for accuracy, especially for important documents
Supported Languages
OCR for Regional Documents & ID Cards
Extract text from official documents and ID cards from countries worldwide. Our OCR supports various document formats and regional specifications.
🇺🇸 United States
Driver's licenses, Social Security cards, US passports, Green cards, Birth certificates
🇪🇺 European Union
EU ID cards, European passports, Schengen visas, EU driver's licenses, Residence permits
🇮🇳 India
Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, Indian passports, Voter ID cards, Driving licenses
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
UK passports, UK driving licenses, National Insurance cards, BRP cards, NHS cards
🇨🇦 Canada
Canadian passports, Provincial ID cards, Health cards, SIN cards, PR cards
🌏 Asia-Pacific
National ID cards, Passports, Work permits, Student IDs, Regional licenses
Privacy Note: All document processing happens locally in your browser. Your sensitive ID documents never leave your device.
Why Choose Our OCR PDF Tool?
🌍 Multi-Language Support
Advanced OCR technology supports over 100 languages including English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and European languages with high accuracy rates.
🎯 High Accuracy
State-of-the-art AI-powered OCR engine delivers exceptional text recognition accuracy, even for complex layouts and low-quality scans.
🔒 Complete Privacy
All OCR processing happens locally in your browser. Your documents never leave your device, ensuring maximum security for sensitive files.
How to Use OCR on PDF Files Online
Upload Your PDF
Select your scanned PDF or image-based PDF file. Supports all common PDF formats and image files like JPG, PNG.
Select Language
Choose the primary language of your document from over 100 supported languages for optimal recognition accuracy.
Process & Review
OCR processing begins automatically. Review extracted text and make corrections using the built-in editor.
Export Searchable PDF
Download as searchable PDF, editable Word document, or plain text file. Your original formatting is preserved.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is OCR and how does it work on PDFs?
OCR (Optical Character Recognition) converts images of text into editable, searchable text. For PDFs, it analyzes scanned pages or image-based content and extracts the text, making it selectable and searchable while preserving the original layout.
How accurate is the OCR text recognition?
Our OCR achieves 95-99% accuracy on clear, well-scanned documents. Accuracy depends on image quality, font clarity, and language. The built-in editor allows you to review and correct any recognition errors before export.
Can I process PDFs with multiple languages?
Yes! You can select multiple languages for documents containing mixed languages. The OCR engine can automatically detect and process different languages within the same document for optimal results.
What output formats are available after OCR?
You can export as: searchable PDF (maintains original appearance), Microsoft Word document (fully editable), plain text file, or structured data formats. Each format preserves the extracted text while serving different use cases.
Is my document data secure during OCR processing?
Absolutely! All OCR processing happens entirely in your browser using advanced WebAssembly technology. Your documents are never uploaded to servers, ensuring complete privacy and security for confidential materials.
Common OCR PDF Use Cases
📄 Document Digitization
Convert scanned paper documents, old contracts, and archived files into searchable, editable digital formats for modern workflow integration.
🔍 Searchable Archives
Make historical documents, research papers, and reference materials fully searchable for easy information retrieval and content discovery.
📚 Academic Research
Extract text from research papers, books, and academic publications for citation, analysis, and content manipulation in research projects.
🏢 Business Documents
Convert scanned invoices, receipts, forms, and contracts into editable formats for accounting software, databases, and business process automation.
🌍 Multilingual Content
Process documents in multiple languages for translation services, international business communications, and global content management.
♿ Accessibility
Make scanned documents accessible to screen readers and assistive technologies by converting images to selectable, readable text.
OCR Technology & Best Practices
Advanced OCR Technology
- Neural Networks: AI-powered character recognition with deep learning models
- Layout Analysis: Intelligent detection of text blocks, columns, and document structure
- Language Detection: Automatic identification of document languages for optimal processing
- Quality Enhancement: Image preprocessing for improved recognition accuracy
- PDF/A Compliance: Create searchable PDF/A documents for long-term archival and compliance requirements
Tips for Best OCR Results
- 📷 High Resolution: Use 300 DPI or higher for scanning documents
- 💡 Good Lighting: Ensure even illumination without shadows or glare
- 📐 Straight Alignment: Keep documents properly aligned and not skewed
- 🔤 Clear Fonts: Sans-serif fonts typically provide better recognition rates
- 🌍 Language Selection: Choose the correct primary language for your document
- ✏️ Review & Edit: Always review OCR output for accuracy before final use
Handwritten PDF to Text - OCR for Handwritten Documents
Our advanced OCR technology supports handwritten text recognition, converting handwritten PDFs and notes into editable digital text.
✍️ Handwriting Recognition
Convert handwritten notes, forms, and documents to searchable text with AI-powered recognition.
📝 Mixed Content
Process documents with both printed and handwritten text seamlessly in a single pass.
🎯 Style Adaptation
Recognizes various handwriting styles including cursive, print, and mixed writing styles.
Batch OCR PDF Online - Process Multiple Files
Save time with batch OCR processing. Convert multiple scanned PDFs to searchable text simultaneously with our bulk OCR tool.
Batch Processing Features:
- 📁 Multiple File Upload: Process up to 20 PDF files simultaneously
- ⚡ Parallel Processing: OCR multiple documents concurrently for faster results
- 🔄 Bulk Export: Download all processed files as a ZIP archive
- 📊 Progress Tracking: Monitor individual file processing status
- 🎯 Consistent Settings: Apply same OCR settings across all files
- 💾 Auto-Save: Processed files are automatically saved and ready for download
Convert Scanned PDF to Searchable PDF Online
Transform non-searchable scanned PDFs into fully searchable documents while preserving the original layout and formatting.
Making PDFs Searchable - The Process:
- Upload: Select your scanned or image-based PDF file
- OCR Processing: Our engine extracts text from each page
- Text Layer Creation: Invisible text layer is added behind images
- Preservation: Original document appearance remains unchanged
- Download: Get a searchable PDF that looks identical to the original
Result: Your PDF becomes fully searchable in PDF readers, can be indexed by search engines, and text can be selected and copied.
Specialized OCR for Different Document Types
⚖️ OCR for Legal Documents
Convert scanned legal documents, contracts, and court filings to searchable PDFs with high accuracy.
- Preserve legal formatting
- Maintain document integrity
- Support for legal citations
- Batch process case files
🏥 OCR for Medical Records
Digitize patient records, prescriptions, and medical forms while maintaining HIPAA compliance.
- Medical terminology recognition
- Handwritten prescription support
- Patient data extraction
- Secure browser processing
📜 OCR for Historical Documents
Convert old manuscripts, archives, and historical texts into searchable digital formats.
- Old font style recognition
- Faded text enhancement
- Multi-column layouts
- Archive-quality output
🏛️ OCR for Government Forms
Process official documents, tax forms, permits, and government paperwork efficiently.
- Form field detection
- Checkbox recognition
- Table data extraction
- Multi-page form support
Mobile Photo to Text Conversion - OCR from Phone Camera
Convert photos taken with your smartphone camera directly to editable text. Perfect for capturing documents, whiteboards, and notes on the go.
📱 Mobile Optimized
Works perfectly on iOS and Android browsers. Upload photos directly from your camera roll.
📸 Photo Enhancement
Automatic image correction for perspective, lighting, and contrast issues.
⚡ Instant Results
Get text from photos in seconds. Copy, edit, or export immediately.
OCR vs Manual Typing - Time & Cost Comparison
Document Type | Manual Typing Time | OCR Time | Time Saved |
---|---|---|---|
1-page document | 10-15 minutes | 10 seconds | 99% faster |
10-page report | 2-3 hours | 30 seconds | 99.7% faster |
50-page book chapter | 10-15 hours | 2 minutes | 99.8% faster |
200-page document | 40-60 hours | 5 minutes | 99.9% faster |
Cost Savings: At $20/hour typing rate, OCR saves hundreds of dollars per project while eliminating human errors.
When to Use OCR vs Retyping
✅ Use OCR When:
- 📄 Processing multiple pages or documents
- ⏱️ Time is critical
- 📊 Dealing with structured data (tables, forms)
- 🔤 Text is clearly printed
- 🌍 Document contains standard fonts
- 💼 Need to maintain formatting
- 🔍 Creating searchable archives
- 📚 Converting books or long documents
✍️ Consider Manual Typing When:
- 📝 Very short text (few sentences)
- 🎨 Heavily stylized or artistic fonts
- 📸 Extremely poor image quality
- ✏️ Need to significantly edit while typing
- 🔐 Dealing with sensitive data requiring human verification
- 📐 Complex mathematical equations
- 🗺️ Documents with critical accuracy requirements
- 💭 Adding interpretation or context
Pro Tip: Always use OCR first, then review and edit. This combines speed with accuracy for the best results.