Extract text from a scanned PDF
Get copyable text out of a scan, without uploading it.
When the text you need is trapped inside a scan, OCR is the way to get it out. This recognises the words on your device and makes them selectable, so you can copy and reuse them, with nothing uploaded.
How to extract text from a scanned PDF
- 1
Add your scan
Drop in the scanned PDF with the text you need.
- 2
Run OCR
The characters are recognised on your device.
- 3
Copy the text
Select and copy the recognised text from the searchable PDF.
Why extract text locally
The scans you need text from are often contracts, records or IDs. Recognising them on your device keeps those documents off any OCR server.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is the text?+
Clean, straight scans read very well. Faint or skewed pages may need a little correction.
Is my scan uploaded?+
No. OCR runs in your browser and the file never leaves your device.
Can I get a plain text file?+
Once the PDF is searchable you can copy the text out, or use the PDF to Text tool.
Is it free?+
Yes, with no account.