Pricing API Log in
Convert to PDF
PNG to PDF JPG to PDF Images to PDF HTML to PDF Markdown to PDF Email to PDF PDF from Template
Convert from PDF
PDF to PNG PDF to JPG PDF to Word PDF to Excel PDF to PowerPoint PDF to Text PDF to CSV PDF to Markdown PDF to SVG PDF to EPUB PDF to JSON PDF to PDF/A OCR PDF PDF to HTML
Organize PDF
Merge PDF Split PDF Extract PDF Pages Delete PDF Pages Rotate PDF Organize PDF Crop PDF Add Bookmarks to PDF
Optimize PDF
Compress PDF Flatten PDF Repair PDF Grayscale PDF Resize PDF
Edit PDF
Add Page Numbers to PDF Watermark PDF Add Headers & Footers to PDF Add Hyperlinks to PDF Annotate PDF Compare PDF Edit PDF Metadata Fill PDF Form
PDF Security
Redact PDF Unlock PDF Protect PDF Sign PDF
Analyze PDF
PDF Accessibility Checker PDF Inspector Read Barcodes from PDF
AI PDF Tools
Extract Data from PDF Summarize PDF Translate PDF
Get Started

OCR PDF

Make scanned PDFs searchable. Our free OCR tool reads the text out of image-based pages so you can copy, search, and reuse it — fast, secure, and right in your browser.

Automate OCR PDF with the PDF API →

📄
Drop your PDF file here
or click to choose — files stay private and are deleted automatically

How to run OCR on a scanned PDF to extract its text

  1. Step 1Upload your PDF file. Drag and drop it into the box above, or click to browse your device.
  2. Step 2PDF4 will run OCR on a scanned PDF to extract its text automatically — processing runs in seconds, no settings to fiddle with.
  3. Step 3Download your searchable PDF / text. Files are sent over a secure connection and deleted automatically within a few hours.

Frequently asked questions

Is the OCR PDF tool free to use?

Yes. You can run OCR on a scanned PDF to extract its text right here online for free — no account, email, or credit card required. Sign up only if you want higher limits, larger files, or API access.

Are my files safe and private?

Yes. Uploads travel over an encrypted HTTPS connection, are processed on our servers, and are automatically deleted within a few hours. We never share or sell your documents.

Do I need to install any software?

No. PDF4 works entirely in your web browser, so there is nothing to download or install. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.

Related PDF tools