OCR PDF
Turn scanned PDFs and images into searchable, selectable text.
How to use OCR PDF
Make scanned PDFs and photos searchable. OCR (optical character recognition) adds an invisible text layer over the image so you can search, select and copy text.
- Select a scanned PDF or an image.
- Select every language used in the document (e.g. Hebrew + English).
- Press Make searchable. The recognized text is also shown on the result page for copying.
Options explained
- Languages
- 24 languages are available, including English, Hebrew, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Persian, Bengali, Russian, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
- Skip pages that already contain text
- Pages that already have real text are left as they are (faster and avoids double text).
Tips for best results
- Choose only the languages that are actually in the document — extra languages slow OCR and can reduce accuracy.
- For best results the text should be at least ~10 px high in the image (a normal phone photo of an A4 page is fine).
- Straighten and crop photos with the Scanner first for better recognition.
Questions
Does OCR change how my PDF looks?
No. The page looks identical; an invisible text layer is added on top.
How accurate is it?
On clean printed text accuracy is typically above 98%. Handwriting is not supported.
Is Osd-Scan really free?
Yes. Every web tool is free with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily limit. The website is supported by ads. A paid desktop app for Windows (one-time purchase, no ads) is coming soon.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. All processing happens inside your browser on your own device. Your documents never leave your computer or phone, so nobody — including us — can see them. You can even disconnect from the internet after the page loads.
Which browsers are supported?
Current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari and Samsung Internet on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iPhone/iPad. For the camera scanner on a phone the page must be opened over https.