PDF3 min readUpdated 21 October 2026Steps checked against the tool on 21 October 2026
How to make a scanned PDF searchable
A scanned PDF without an existing text layer contains page images rather than searchable text. OCR can add a text layer so you can search and copy recognised words.
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OCR PDF
Works in your browser. No signup.
- Step 1Choose PDF
- Step 2Pick document language
- Step 3Make searchable
- Step 4Download
Step by step
- 1
Choose your scanned PDF
One PDF, up to 150 MB and 1,000 pages. Recognition runs in your browser.
- 2
Pick the document language
Choose English, Hindi, Bengali or Tamil. You can select more than one if the pages mix languages.
- 3
Choose the pages
By default only pages that need OCR are processed; pages that already have text are left as they are. You can pick custom pages, or force OCR on all pages under Advanced.
- 4
Make searchable and download
Click Make searchable, then Download searchable PDF. Search for a word in the result to check it.
Searchable is not the same as editable
OCR adds searchable text; it does not replace the words visible in the scanned image. If you need an editable document, try PDF to Word and carefully check the converted text and layout.
Limitations
Recognition accuracy depends on scan quality. Straight, high-contrast scans work best; faint, skewed or low-resolution pages give more mistakes.
Handwriting and languages other than the four listed are not supported.
Questions
Will the pages look different?
No. The original page images stay as they are; the recognised text sits invisibly on top.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The PDF and the recognised text stay in your browser. The language data the reader needs is loaded from OneDo Hub.
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