Extract Text
From Scanned PDFs
Upload a scanned PDF or image and extract all text using advanced OCR. Supports 100+ languages with output in TXT or searchable PDF format.
Drop your file here
PDF, PNG, JPG, TIFF, WEBP, BMP
What Is OCR (Optical Character Recognition)?
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is the technology that converts images of text — whether from scanned documents, photographs, or PDF files — into machine-readable, editable text. When you scan a paper document or save a fax as a PDF, the resulting file is essentially a collection of images. The text visible on those pages cannot be searched, copied, or edited because the computer sees only pixels, not characters. OCR bridges this gap by analyzing the visual patterns in those images and translating them back into actual text characters.
Our online OCR PDF tool uses one of the most widely used open-source OCR engines in the world. It has been refined over decades and supports more than 100 languages. Our implementation exposes the 16 most commonly used languages with optimized recognition models, delivering high accuracy for printed text in a variety of scripts including Latin, Cyrillic, CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean), Arabic, and Devanagari.
What sets our tool apart from server-based OCR services is that everything runs entirely on your device. Your scanned documents are never uploaded to any server. The PDF pages are rendered to images and then processed by the OCR engine entirely on your device. The only network request is to download the language recognition model (typically 1–15 MB depending on the language), and even that is cached for subsequent uses. This architecture makes the tool ideal for sensitive documents — medical records, legal contracts, financial statements, and personal correspondence — where data privacy is paramount.
The tool outputs extracted text in two formats: plain text (TXT) for immediate editing in any text editor, or a structured PDF where each original page's text is placed on a corresponding PDF page. You can also copy the text directly to your clipboard. A confidence score is provided for each page, helping you assess the quality of recognition and identify pages that may require manual review. Whether you are digitizing a paper archive, extracting data from receipts, or making scanned documents searchable, this OCR tool provides a fast, free, and completely private solution.
How to Extract Text from a Scanned PDF
Four simple steps to convert scanned documents into editable text — no software, no sign-up, no uploads.
Upload Your Scanned PDF or Image
Drag and drop your scanned PDF or image file into the upload area, or click to browse. The tool accepts PDF, PNG, JPG, TIFF, WEBP, and BMP files of any size.
Select Language & Output Format
Choose the language of the text in your document from 16 supported options. Then select whether you want the output as a plain text file (TXT) or a structured PDF document.
Run OCR Text Extraction
Click 'Extract Text with OCR' and the engine processes each page. A real-time progress bar shows which page is being analyzed. Multi-page PDFs are handled sequentially with per-page status updates.
Review, Copy, or Download
Once complete, the extracted text appears in a preview panel with page-by-page tabs. Review the output, copy text to clipboard, or download as TXT or PDF. Process another file instantly.
What This Tool Can Do
A powerful set of capabilities for extracting text from any scanned document or image.
Scanned PDF Recognition
Upload any scanned PDF — whether from a flatbed scanner, mobile scan app, or fax — and the tool converts each page to an image, runs OCR, and extracts every line of text with high accuracy.
Direct Image OCR
Not just PDFs — upload PNG, JPG, TIFF, WEBP, or BMP images directly. The tool applies the same powerful OCR engine to extract text from photographs, screenshots, receipts, and documents.
16 Languages Supported
Choose from 16 languages including English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Hindi, and more. The engine downloads the appropriate language model and optimizes recognition accuracy.
Confidence Score Reporting
After processing, the tool displays a confidence percentage for each page and an overall score. This helps you quickly gauge recognition quality and identify pages that may need manual review.
100% Private Processing
Your files never leave your device. The OCR engine runs entirely on your device. No server uploads, no cloud processing, no data retention — complete privacy guaranteed.
TXT & PDF Output
Download extracted text as a plain TXT file for easy editing, or as a structured PDF document that preserves page separation. Copy text directly to your clipboard with one click.
Free vs Paid — OCR PDF
Get started free, upgrade when you need more power.
Unlock the Full Power of OCR PDF
Remove daily limits, process larger files up to 500 MB, enable batch processing, and get priority support.
PDF Tools includes:
- 21 PDF tools included
- Unlimited daily uses
- 100 MB file size limit
- Batch processing
- Sign, Redact, OCR, Watermark
- All export formats
Also available in the All Tools Bundle
Questions from Real Users
See how others use the OCR PDF tool and get answers to common questions.
“I have a stack of scanned contracts from our legal department — about 150 pages in a single PDF. The scans are high quality, black text on white paper. Will this tool handle such a large file and produce accurate text?”
Laura Jennings
Legal Coordinator, Chicago, USA
Yes, the tool is designed to handle large multi-page PDFs efficiently. For documents over 50 pages, it automatically adjusts the rendering scale to balance speed and quality. A 150-page high-contrast scan typically takes 5–10 minutes depending on your device. The accuracy for clean, high-resolution black-on-white text is excellent — usually above 95% confidence. You will see real-time progress with a per-page counter so you always know where it stands.
OnlinePCTools Team
Verified Response
“I need to extract text from photographed receipts and invoices that are slightly tilted and have varying print quality. Some are in German, some in English. Can the OCR handle mixed-quality images?”
Stefan Müller
Accountant, Berlin, Germany
The OCR engine handles a range of image qualities including slightly tilted or skewed text, varying font sizes, and moderate noise. For best results, process English and German documents separately — select 'English' for one batch and 'German' for another, since the engine optimizes its recognition model per language. Receipts with clear print usually produce 85–95% confidence. Very blurry or extremely low-resolution images may produce lower accuracy.
OnlinePCTools Team
Verified Response
“I'm concerned about data privacy. These are medical records that contain patient information. Is anything uploaded to your servers?”
Dr. Aisha Patel
Healthcare Administrator, Toronto, Canada
Absolutely nothing is uploaded. The entire OCR process runs on your device. Your PDF pages are converted to images in memory, processed by the OCR engine on your device, and the extracted text stays on your computer. The only network request is to download the language model file (a one-time download per language). Your documents, images, and extracted text never leave your computer.
OnlinePCTools Team
Verified Response
“Can I use this tool for Japanese documents? I have scanned pages of handwritten notes mixed with printed Japanese text.”
Yuki Tanaka
Graduate Student, Tokyo, Japan
The tool supports Japanese OCR using the 'jpn' language model. Printed Japanese text (kanji, hiragana, katakana) is recognized well. However, handwritten text is significantly harder for any OCR engine — results will vary depending on handwriting clarity. For best results with mixed content, the printed portions will be extracted accurately while handwritten sections may need manual correction.
OnlinePCTools Team
Verified Response
“I tried another online OCR tool but it only allows 5 pages free and then asks for payment. Does this tool have any limits?”
Carlos Rivera
Freelance Writer, Madrid, Spain
There are no page limits, no file limits, and no hidden fees. You can process as many documents as you want, as many times as you want, with zero restrictions. Since all processing happens on your device, there are no server costs to pass on. The tool is genuinely 100% free with no premium tier, no account requirement, and no watermarks on output.
OnlinePCTools Team
Verified Response
Who Needs OCR PDF?
Common scenarios where OCR text extraction saves time and unlocks document value.
Legal & Compliance Teams
Extract text from scanned contracts, court filings, and compliance documents to make them searchable, quotable, and ready for digital case management systems.
Accountants & Finance
Convert scanned invoices, receipts, and financial statements into editable text for bookkeeping, expense reporting, and tax preparation workflows.
Students & Researchers
Digitize scanned textbooks, research papers, and handout PDFs to make them searchable, enable text highlighting, and extract quotes for citations.
Archivists & Librarians
Convert paper archives and historical documents into searchable digital text for long-term preservation, cataloging, and public accessibility.
Healthcare Providers
Extract text from scanned medical records, lab reports, and referral letters for integration into electronic health record systems while maintaining patient privacy.
Business Professionals
Quickly extract text from scanned business cards, meeting notes, whiteboard photos, and signed agreements for digital record-keeping and follow-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about using our online OCR tool.
Is this OCR tool completely free?
Are my files uploaded to a server?
What file formats are supported?
How accurate is the OCR?
Can it recognize handwritten text?
How long does processing take?
Can I OCR a document in multiple languages at once?
What devices are supported?
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