OCR PDF — Make Scanned PDFs Searchable
Upload a scanned PDF and GroPDF will recognize the text on every page, creating a searchable PDF you can copy text from and search through.
🔒 Files never leave your browser
Drag & drop your file here
or click to browse your device
Recognition language
More languages coming soon. The OCR engine (26 MB) loads only when you use this tool.
OCR (Optical Character Recognition) reads the text in scanned PDFs and images, turning them into searchable, selectable text. GroPDF runs real OCR entirely in your browser — your files never leave your device.
Upload a scanned PDF and GroPDF will recognize the text on every page, then build a new PDF that looks identical but contains a hidden text layer. You can search within it, copy text from it, and find it with Ctrl+F.
How to OCR a PDF
- Upload your scanned PDF.
- Click Start OCR and wait while each page is recognized.
- Download your searchable PDF — the text is now selectable.
Frequently asked questions
What is OCR?
OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is technology that reads text from images and scans. It turns a picture of text into real, selectable text.
Does OCR work on handwriting?
Printed text works best. Handwriting recognition is unreliable and not recommended for important documents.
Is my file uploaded anywhere?
No. OCR runs entirely in your browser using a downloaded recognition engine. Your files never leave your device.
What languages are supported?
Currently English. More languages are coming soon.
