Make a Scanned PDF Searchable
Add a selectable, searchable text layer to a scanned PDF without changing how its pages look.
Drop your file hereTap to choose a file
or click to browse, or paste from the clipboard
Max file size: 50 MiB
Search and copy scanned pages
Every recognized word is placed as invisible text over its position on the page, so find, select and copy work the way they do in a typed PDF.
Pages stay exactly as they are
The scan is not re-compressed, straightened or resized. Rotated and cropped pages keep their settings, and pages that already have text are left alone.
English and Arabic
Recognize printed English, Arabic or both on one page. Arabic is stored in the order PDF viewers expect, so a search matches whole words and phrases.
How to make a scanned PDF searchable
- 1
Choose a scanned PDF with up to 20 pages and 50 MiB.
- 2
Select English, Arabic or English + Arabic to match the printed text.
- 3
Leave pages that already have text unchanged, or choose to recognize them too.
- 4
Run the conversion, download the PDF and search for a word you can see on a page.
What people use this tool for
- Find a clause, name or invoice number in a scanned contract or statement.
- Copy a paragraph from a scanned letter instead of retyping it.
- Make scanned records findable by the search on your computer or document system.
- Restore search on pages that were flattened to images, for example after redaction.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make a scanned PDF searchable?
Upload the PDF, choose the language of the printed text and run the conversion. Each scanned page is recognized and its words are placed as invisible text over the image. Then search the download with Ctrl+F or Cmd+F, or select and copy lines as in any other PDF.
Does OCR change how my pages look?
No. The original page content is kept as it is: images are not re-compressed, resized or straightened, and nothing is removed. Only a hidden text layer is added, which usually adds a few kilobytes per page. Because the file changes, an existing digital signature will no longer validate.
Which languages can it read?
Printed English and Arabic, alone or mixed on the same page. Pick the language that matches the document, because the wrong choice produces wrong words. Other languages, including Hindi and other Indian scripts, are not supported.
What are the limits?
One PDF up to 50 MiB and 20 pages; use Split PDF for longer documents. Pages are recognized at 200 DPI, or lower for very large pages. Pages beyond about 40 × 40 inches are refused, and protected PDFs must be unlocked first. Recognition has about two minutes. If time runs out, the result contains the pages finished so far and names the rest.
What happens to pages that already have text?
A page that already contains selectable text is left untouched, so a document mixing typed and scanned pages does not get doubled text. A page number or short stamp does not count. The result says which pages were skipped. If an existing text layer is poor, choose Recognize them too; the new layer is added on top of the old one.
Can it read handwriting, photos or skewed scans?
It is built for clear printed text. Handwriting is not recognized reliably, and blur, low contrast, heavy skew or decorative fonts cause wrong or missing words. Rotate a page that displays sideways with PDF Page Organizer first. The result names pages where recognition was uncertain; check those before relying on search.
How is this different from Image to Text?
Image to Text returns the recognized words as a plain TXT file and discards the layout. PDF OCR returns your PDF itself, with the same pages and the words attached to their positions, so you can search inside the document and keep one file to share or archive.
Where is my PDF processed?
The file is uploaded to the platform server, where recognition runs; OCR does not happen in your browser. Files are temporary, so download the searchable PDF promptly. The recognition models are stored on the server, and the document is not sent to an outside OCR service.