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Extract text from a PDF or image (OCR)

Read text from scanned PDFs and photos with free OCR that runs in your browser.

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How it works

  1. Upload a scanned PDF or a photo of a page. Straighten and crop it first if it is crooked.
  2. Under the page controls, open More options and choose Extract text.
  3. Wait while each page is read. The first run downloads the text engine, so it takes a little longer.
  4. Review the text in the Extracted text panel, correct anything that is wrong, then use Copy text.

What it is good for

Pulling the words out of a scanned letter, a photographed page, a receipt or a screenshot so you can paste, search or reuse them.

Supported files and limits

Files: Scanned PDFs (the first 50 pages) and photos or screenshots (JPG, PNG and more, up to 25 MB each).

  • English only for now.
  • Up to 30 pages are read in one run.
  • Accuracy depends on the scan. A sharp, well-lit, straight page reads best; handwriting and unusual fonts read poorly. Check the result before you rely on it.
  • The text is shown and copied. It is not added to the PDF as a hidden text layer, and it is not saved as a file.

Your files and privacy

Your file is processed in your browser, on your own device. It is not uploaded to PDFScanner's servers. PDFScanner counts basic usage, such as which tool was opened, but never sees what is inside your document. The text engine is served from PDFScanner itself, not a third-party service.

Questions and answers

Is the OCR free?
Yes. Basic text recognition is free and needs no account.
Is my document sent to a server?
No. Recognition runs in your browser, so the pages never leave your device.
Does it support other languages?
Not yet. It reads English text only.
Will it make my PDF searchable?
No. It gives you the text to copy, but the PDF you export is still made of page images.

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