OCR PDF online, free

ScalePDF reads the words on scanned pages and adds them as an invisible layer, so you can search, select and copy them. The pages look exactly the same.

OCR PDF: common questions

Which languages can it read?

English and Hindi, alone or together on the same page. Choose the ones in your document; fewer languages read a little faster.

Is there a limit on how many PDFs I can OCR?

No. There is no daily or monthly limit and no account, and it stays free for life: use it as often as you like. Each run reads up to 50 pages; split a longer PDF and run each part.

Will my PDF look different?

No. The text is added as an invisible layer exactly over the words, the way scanners with OCR do it. The pages stay as they were.

How good is it?

Clear, straight scans of printed text come out very well. Handwriting, faint copies, stamps and photos taken at an angle are read less reliably. Check the text before you rely on it.

Is there a page limit?

Up to 50 pages at a time for now. Pages that already have text are left as they are.

Is my file uploaded?

Only while it is being processed. Your file goes to ScalePDF’s server over an encrypted connection, is worked on in memory, and is deleted the moment the result comes back. Nothing is stored, logged or shared.