A scanned PDF is only a picture of text. You cannot search it, select a word or copy a paragraph. OCR, short for optical character recognition, reads the picture and adds a hidden text layer.
When OCR helps
- Finding a word inside a scanned contract or book.
- Copying text out of a photographed notice.
- Making old scans accessible for screen readers.
- Preparing documents for archives.
How to run OCR
- Open OCR PDF and add the scanned file.
- Choose English, Hindi or Hindi + English.
- Start the process. It can take a while for long files, because the reading happens on your device.
- Download the searchable PDF.
Getting better results
- Start from a clear scan of at least 200 to 300 dpi.
- Straight, well lit pages work best.
- Choose the correct language. A Hindi page read as English gives poor text.
- Handwriting is usually not recognised well.
Check the output
Search for a few words you know are in the document. If they are found, the text layer works. Always read important numbers, such as amounts and dates, against the picture, because OCR can mix up similar characters like 0 and O.
Frequently asked questions
Which languages are supported?
English, Hindi, and Hindi + English together.
Why is it slow on my phone?
The recognition runs on your own device, so a long file takes more time on a slower phone. Try fewer pages at a time.
Is my file uploaded?
No. The work happens in your browser, so your file stays on your device.
Ready to start?
Open OCR PDF