OCR PDF free
Scanned documents are just pictures of text. OCR recognizes the words so you can search, select and copy them.
- 100% freeNo sign-up, no watermark
- PrivateFiles never leave your device
- FastRuns instantly in your browser
- Any deviceMac, Windows, iPhone, Android
How to ocr pdf online
Three steps, no learning curve.
- 1
Add your scanned PDF.
- 2
Choose the document's language.
- 3
Click Make Searchable and download.
Why use this OCR PDF tool
- Searchable, selectable text
- Original page look preserved
- Six languages
- Processed on your device
What OCR does
OCR (optical character recognition) reads the letters in a scanned image and adds an invisible text layer on top. The page looks the same, but now ⌘F / Ctrl+F finds words and you can copy text.
Tips for best results
Clear, straight scans at a normal size work best. Choose the right language — it improves accuracy a lot. The first run downloads the recognition engine (about 10 MB), then it's faster.
Get ilovepdfmac for Mac
The ilovepdfmac app handles everyday PDF work offline — merge, edit, sign, compress and convert in one fast app. Plus Word, Excel and PowerPoint to PDF, a full PDF editor and real compression — all offline.
OCR PDF FAQ
Still stuck? Email shubhranshukhatua@gmail.com
Is my scan uploaded for OCR?+
No. Recognition runs in your browser. Only the recognition engine itself is downloaded once.
How long does it take?+
A few seconds per page, depending on your device.
Does it support handwriting?+
Printed text works best. Neat handwriting may partly work, but results vary.
Is this tool really free?+
Yes. No sign-up, no watermark, no daily limits. It's free because it runs on your own device.
Are my files uploaded to a server?+
No. Your files are processed entirely inside your browser and never leave your device. You can even disconnect from the internet after the page loads.
Is it safe for confidential documents?+
Yes. Because nothing is uploaded, contracts, bank statements, IDs and medical records stay on your device. There's no server copy that could be stored, shared or leaked.
Do I need to create an account or install anything?+
No. Open the page and use the tool — no account, no email, no extension and no download.
How large can my files be?+
There's no fixed limit. Because the work happens on your device, the practical limit is your browser's memory — files of a few hundred MB usually work fine on a laptop. Very large files are faster in the Mac app.
Which browsers are supported?+
Any modern browser: Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, Brave and Opera, on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android.
Will my file have a watermark?+
No. Your result is exactly what you made — no watermark, no added pages and no branding.
Is there a desktop app?+
Yes — ilovepdfmac for Mac does all of this and much more (Word, Excel and PowerPoint to PDF, a full PDF editor, real compression) offline, for a one-time $9.99.