NovaOCR PDF
Run text recognition over every page of a scanned PDF and add an invisible, selectable text layer underneath — pages look exactly the same, but the text can now be searched, selected, and copied. Nothing is uploaded — everything runs in your browser.
What OCR does (and doesn't)
OCR reads the text in each page's image and adds it back into the PDF as an invisible layer in the same spot — the page still looks like a scan, but you can now search, select, and copy text from it. It runs one page at a time, so a long document takes longer than a short one. The first time you run it, your browser downloads a small language file to do the recognition — only that language model is downloaded, your PDF itself is never uploaded anywhere. Clear, well-lit, printed scans recognize best; blurry photos or handwriting may come out patchy.
How to use OCR PDF
- Drop a scanned or image-based PDF.
- Choose the document's language: English, Spanish, French or German.
- Click Download searchable PDF. Each page is read in turn and a progress counter shows how far it has got.
- When the last page is done, the searchable PDF downloads. The pages look the same, but you can now search, select and copy the text.
Good to know before you start
- The first run downloads a language model into your browser, a few megabytes. Your PDF itself is never uploaded.
- Accuracy depends on the scan. Clear, straight, printed pages read well; blurry photos, handwriting and very small text may come out patchy.
- OCR runs on your device, so long documents take a while, especially on phones. Keep the tab open until it finishes.
OCR PDF: frequently asked questions
How do I know if my PDF needs OCR?
Try to select or search a word in it. If you can't, the pages are images and OCR will make them searchable.
Will OCR change how my pages look?
No. The text is added as an invisible layer behind the page image, so the document looks exactly as before.
Which languages are supported?
English, Spanish, French and German. Choose the language the document is written in for the best accuracy.
Can I copy the recognised text into Word?
Yes. Open the searchable PDF, select the text and copy it. Check names and numbers, since OCR can misread characters.