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OCR PDF

Turn a scanned PDF into a searchable PDF with selectable text, plus a .txt copy. OCR runs in your browser in 11 languages; nothing is uploaded.

  • No uploads
  • No limits
  • No signup

Drop a scanned PDF here

A scan or image-only PDF. It never leaves this device.

Input:
PDF
Output:
Searchable PDF · TXT
Runs on:
Your device
Size limit:
None
Account:
Not needed

How to use OCR PDF

  1. Add your scanned PDF

    Drop it in or click to browse. It stays on your device.

  2. Choose the language

    Pick the language the document is written in, then start. Each page is read in your browser.

  3. Download

    Get the searchable PDF, which looks exactly like the original, plus a .txt file with all its text.

Why OCR PDF on Toolshed

  • No uploads

    Everything runs in this browser tab. Your files never leave your device.

  • No limits

    No file-size caps, no daily quotas. Process as much as your device can handle.

  • No signup

    No account, no email, no watermark.

Frequently asked questions

Is my PDF uploaded to run OCR?

No. Each page is rendered and read by Tesseract OCR inside your browser. Only the engine and the language data, about 1–3 MB per language, are downloaded once from a public CDN and cached. Your document never leaves your device.

Will the searchable PDF look different?

No. Every page is kept exactly as it was; an invisible text layer is placed over it, so you can search, select and copy the text while the scan looks the same.

How long does OCR take?

Usually a few seconds per page, depending on your device. Documents over 50 pages can take several minutes, and the limit is 300 pages. You can cancel at any time.

Are my files uploaded anywhere?

No. OCR PDF runs entirely in your browser. Your files are processed on your device and are never sent to a server.

Is there a file size limit?

No fixed limit. The only limit is your device's memory. Very large files work best in a desktop browser.

Is OCR PDF really free?

Yes. There's no account and no watermark. A short optional ad, or a 20-second wait, unlocks each download. That's how we keep it free.