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OCR PDF

Drop a scanned PDF here One PDF · up to 200 pages · 100 MB · on your device

Apps

How to make a scanned PDF searchable

OCR PDF reads the words in a scanned PDF and adds an invisible text layer, in your browser. Pages that already hold text are left as they are. The PDF stays on your device. Free. No account needed.

  1. Add the PDF

    Drop one scanned PDF, up to 200 pages and 100 MB. The first page shows as a preview.

  2. Choose the language

    Vietnamese + English by default. Pick the language of the words in the scan; the tool does not find it for you.

  3. Make it searchable

    Nothing to press for a PDF in the default language: it starts by itself. The status says which page is being read; Stop ends it after the current page. Change the language, then press Read the text.

  4. Download

    Press Download to save <name>-ocr.pdf. Its words can be searched, selected and copied.

Frequently asked questions

Not answered here? Ask Yangopen

Is my PDF uploaded?

No. The PDF is read and the new one is written in your browser, on your own device. Only the first run downloads the open-source text reader (OCR) and the language data you picked from jsDelivr; your PDF is not sent to it.

Which pages get a text layer?

A page that already holds its own text is left as it is. A page with no readable text of its own (a scan) keeps its picture and gets the invisible text layer over it. Bookmarks, links and notes stay. Check the result before you rely on it.

How accurate is it? Which languages?

A flat scan with clear print reads best; a tilted or blurry page, small text and handwriting read less well. It reads Vietnamese, English, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Khmer, Lao, Burmese, Hindi, Sanskrit, Russian, French, German and Spanish. Pick the language before you start.

Will the file be larger?

Hardly. The scan's own picture is kept and only the text layer is added, so the file stays close to its size. One exception: a PDF with restrictions (an owner password) cannot be edited, so each page is saved again as a JPEG picture at up to 300 dpi (about 3,500 pixels on its long edge), which can be larger.

A PDF with a password?

A PDF that needs a password to open is refused with a message. Open it in a PDF reader, save a copy without the password, then add that copy. A PDF with only restrictions opens, and its pages are saved as pictures.

Is it free? Is there a limit?

It is free, with no account, because your own device does the work. One PDF can have up to 200 pages and 100 MB. OCR takes a few seconds a page.