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OCR PDF: make a scan searchable

Search and copy text in a scan

Up to 2 GB on a computer, 200 MB on a phone. It depends on free memory.

Text recognition runs on your device. Pick the language of the text. Small print and poor scans mean more mistakes, so check names and numbers. Handwriting isn't supported. Pages stay as images with a new searchable layer.

    Your file stays on your device. No sign-up, no limits.

    OCR reads the printed text on scanned pages and adds an invisible text layer beneath the image, so you can search a scanned PDF and copy from it. It handles English, German, Russian, Serbian in Cyrillic and Latin, Croatian and Bosnian. The page looks exactly as before, but do double-check any names and figures it has recognised.

    How it works

    1. Choose the scanned PDF.
    2. Pick the language and script. If the text is mixed, go with whichever there's more of.
    3. Press “Recognise text” and check the numbers in the preview.

    The best results come from a 300 dpi scan, with the paper lying flat and black print on white.

    Worked example

    You've scanned your EPS electricity bill, the Serbian power company's bill that most landlords pass on, and it reads “Ukupno za uplatu: 4.618,32 din.” (total due). Choose Serbian (Latin), run OCR, and you can search for “uplatu” and copy the amount. Compare it with the paper, because commas and full stops in numbers are the most common slip.

    Questions people ask

    How do I turn a scanned document into Word?

    Run OCR here first, then open the result in PDF to Word. Without OCR, Word only gets pictures of the pages.

    Can OCR read handwriting?

    No. It's built for printed text. Handwriting and blurry scans come out as the wrong words.

    Which language should I choose for a document in two languages?

    Pick the one with more text on the page. The setting tells the program which letters to expect; it doesn't translate anything.

    Will the page look the same after OCR?

    Yes. It's kept as an image of up to 200 dpi and 4 megapixels, with the new text layer added. Forms and links don't carry over.

    Is my document uploaded for recognition?

    No. Recognition runs on your own device, so the scan never leaves it.

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    Updated: 13 November 2026