Extract text from scanned PDFs, or make them searchable. How it works: Choose a scanned PDF. Select the language and, optionally, which pages to process. Choose the output: plain text, or searchable PDF.
About the PDF OCR
Scanned PDFs are pictures of pages, so you cannot select, copy or search their text. PDF OCR renders each page and runs optical character recognition on it, giving you the text in English, Hindi or another supported language.
Download the text as a TXT file, copy it straight away, or create a searchable PDF that looks identical to the original but lets you select and search the words. Everything happens in your browser: the file never leaves your phone or computer, is not uploaded to any server and is not stored by News Appite.
This is especially useful for old scanned certificates, court orders, government letters and books where retyping would take hours.
How to use the PDF OCR
- Choose a scanned PDF.
- Select the language and, optionally, which pages to process.
- Choose the output: plain text, or searchable PDF.
- Press "Run OCR" and download the result.
Tips & benchmarks
- If the PDF already has selectable text, use PDF to Text or PDF to Word instead: they are faster and exact.
- OCR takes a few seconds per page; limit the pages for long documents.
- Scans at 300 DPI give the best accuracy.
- Straighten crooked scans with the Document Scanner first; OCR accuracy drops on tilted pages.
Frequently asked questions
What is a searchable PDF?
It is the original scanned page with an invisible text layer on top, so you can search, select and copy words while the page looks exactly the same.
Does it support Hindi PDFs?
Yes. Choose Hindi or English + Hindi for Devanagari documents.
How long does it take?
Roughly 3–10 seconds per page depending on your device and the page content.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. OCR runs entirely in your browser.
Can I choose which pages to process?
Yes. Enter page numbers or ranges such as 1-3, 7 to OCR only those pages, which saves time on long files.
Is the searchable PDF the same size?
It is usually slightly larger than the original because an invisible text layer is added to every page.
Which languages can it read?
English, Hindi and other major Indian languages, including a combined English + Hindi mode for bilingual documents.
What is PDF OCR and how does it work?
PDF OCR is a tool that extracts text from scanned PDFs, making them searchable. It works by rendering each page and running optical character recognition on it, giving you the text in English, Hindi, or another supported language. This process happens entirely in your browser, without uploading or storing your file on any server.
Can I convert a scanned PDF to a text-based PDF?
Yes, PDF OCR allows you to create a searchable PDF that looks identical to the original but lets you select and search the words. You can choose to download the text as a TXT file, copy it straight away, or create this searchable PDF.
What is the purpose of PDF OCR and what kind of documents can it be used for?
PDF OCR is especially useful for old scanned certificates, court orders, government letters, and books where retyping would take hours. It saves time by extracting text from scanned PDFs, making them searchable and editable.
How do I use PDF OCR to extract text from a scanned PDF?
To use PDF OCR, simply choose a scanned PDF, select the language and optionally which pages to process, and then choose the output: plain text or searchable PDF. Press 'Run OCR' and download the result.
Related searches
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