EveryPDFToolOCR a scanned PDF online
Recognize text inside scanned PDF pages so you can copy, search, review or reuse content that was previously stored only as an image.
What OCR does to a scanned PDF
Optical character recognition analyzes the pixels on a scanned page and attempts to identify letters, numbers and punctuation. It is useful because scanning a printed page does not automatically create searchable text—the scanner usually creates an image of the page.
With OCR, an image-only document can become much easier to search and reuse. The recognized output should still be reviewed when accuracy matters, particularly for names, account numbers, dates and other characters where a small recognition error can change the meaning.
What affects OCR accuracy?
Clear, high-contrast typed text usually works better than blurred photographs, handwriting, decorative fonts or pages photographed at an angle. Shadows, low resolution, folds and background patterns can also make characters harder to recognize.
If possible, use straight pages with readable text and avoid unnecessary compression before OCR. The current EveryPDFTool OCR workflow is best suited to English-language typed material; other languages or handwriting may not be recognized reliably.
What to do with the recognized text
Use OCR PDF to Text when your main goal is text extraction. If the source already contains selectable text, PDF to Text is a simpler option. For an editable office document, see the scanned PDF to Word workflow.
Frequently asked questions
What is OCR in a PDF?
OCR is optical character recognition. It identifies text inside page images so the written content can be extracted or searched.
Does OCR work on handwriting?
OCR is generally more reliable with clear typed text. Handwriting and decorative scripts can produce much less accurate results.
Why are some OCR words incorrect?
Low resolution, blur, skew, unusual fonts, shadows and damaged pages can make individual characters difficult for OCR to distinguish.