OCR PDF
Recognize text in scanned PDFs so you can search, select, and copy it.
Processed in your browser. Files are never uploaded.
Drop your scanned PDF here
or click to browse
Max file size: 100MB
The recognition model for the language (a few MB) is downloaded once. Your PDF itself is never uploaded.
OCR PDF online, free and secure
Turn scanned PDFs into searchable, selectable documents with OCR (optical character recognition). The recognized text is added as an invisible layer behind the scan, so the pages look the same but you can search, highlight, and copy text. OCR runs in your browser.
How to ocr pdf
Upload your scanned PDF
Select a scanned or image-only PDF.
Pick the language
Choose the document language for the most accurate recognition.
Run OCR and download
Each page is read and a searchable PDF is downloaded when it finishes.
Why use Kobra PDF to ocr pdf
- Search and copy text in scanned documents
- Pages keep their original look
- Scans are never uploaded
OCR PDF: frequently asked questions
- How accurate is the OCR?
- Clean scans of printed text at 200 DPI or more are usually recognized very accurately. Handwriting, low-resolution scans, and unusual fonts produce more errors.
- Does it need an internet connection?
- The OCR engine and language model are downloaded the first time you use them. Your PDF itself is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
- How long does it take?
- Typically a few seconds per page, depending on your device. Pages that already contain text can be skipped to save time.
- Can I extract the text afterwards?
- Yes. Once the PDF is searchable, use PDF to Text to export all the recognized text as a plain text file.