OCR PDF
Extract searchable text from scanned PDF pages.
How OCR PDF works
Choose a PDF, let PixelFree render its pages and run optical character recognition, then review the extracted text. OCR is most useful when the PDF contains scanned images rather than selectable digital text.
What affects OCR accuracy
Clear scans, correct orientation, strong contrast and sufficiently large text improve recognition. Blur, shadows, handwriting, decorative fonts, skewed pages and low resolution can reduce accuracy.
Digital PDFs may not need OCR
If you can already select and copy text in the PDF, normal text extraction may be enough. OCR adds value mainly when the page is an image.
Review important information
OCR can make mistakes. Verify names, dates, totals, account numbers, legal text and other important data before relying on extracted text.
Performance
OCR is computationally intensive because pages must be rendered and analyzed. Large documents and high-resolution scans take longer, particularly on mobile devices.
Privacy
Supported OCR processing is designed to run on your device in the browser.
Frequently asked questions
Why is some OCR text incorrect?
Accuracy depends on scan clarity, orientation, language, font and resolution.
Do all PDFs need OCR?
No. PDFs with normal selectable text often do not need OCR.
Can OCR take longer on large documents?
Yes. More pages and higher-resolution rendering require more processing time.
Should I verify extracted numbers and names?
Yes. Important information should always be reviewed after OCR.