Make Scanned PDF Searchable with OCR

Transform scanned documents into searchable, selectable text using OCR technology.

Understanding OCR for PDFs

When a document is scanned, it becomes an image rather than text. This makes it impossible to search, copy, or edit content. OCR (Optical Character Recognition) solves this by recognizing text within images.

Our OCR runs entirely in your browser, keeping your documents private while making them searchable.

How to Make PDFs Searchable

1. Upload scanned PDF — Select your scanned document
2. Select OCR option — Choose "Make Searchable"
3. Choose language — Select document language
4. Process document — OCR will recognize text
5. Download — Save your searchable PDF

OCR Capabilities

• Recognizes 10+ languages
• Preserves original image quality
• Maintains formatting
• Creates searchable overlays
• Batch processing supported

OCR vs Original Scans

Best Use Cases

OCR transforms many document types:

• Historical records — Make old archives searchable
• Contracts — Enable text search in signed docs
• Books — Create searchable digital versions
• Invoices — Extract text for data entry

"We made 20 years of scanned HR records searchable. Finding specific employee information is now instant instead of impossible."

Code for searchable PDF creation:

// Apply OCR for searchable text
const pdfDoc = await PDFLib.load(scannedFile);
const pages = pdfDoc.getPages();

for (const page of pages) {
  const image = page.getImage();
  const text = await performOCR(image);
  
  // Create invisible text layer
  page.drawText(text, {
    color: rgb(0, 0, 0),
    opacity: 0,
  });
}

await pdfDoc.save();