PDF tips
Scanned PDF: How Do You Copy the Text Out of It?
You click on a scanned PDF and nothing highlights. That is because it is only a picture. Here is how to get the words out, step by step.
· 4 min read
Drop your PDF to open it
OCR PDF
Turn scanned pages into searchable, copyable text. Free, and your file never leaves your device.
or drop a PDF here
Your file never leaves your device — reading the text happens in your browser.
Opening your PDF…
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Language of your document
Pick every language that appears in your scan (up to 3).
We read the text on every page and add it as an invisible layer. Your pages look exactly the same, but the text becomes searchable and copyable. Allow a few seconds per page.
Reading your PDF…
How to make a scanned PDF searchable
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1
Add your scanned PDF
Click “Select PDF file” or drag and drop a PDF onto this page.
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2
Choose the language
Pick the language of the text in your scan, so it is read correctly.
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3
Download your searchable PDF
Click “Make PDF searchable”, wait a few seconds per page, then download your new PDF.
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Let a PDF expert do it for you.
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Frequently asked questions
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Is OCR PDF free?
Yes. Making PDFs searchable on PDFixed is completely free, with no sign-up and no watermarks.
Are my files safe?
Your PDF is read right here in your browser. It is never uploaded to our servers, so nobody else can see it. The reading software and language files are served from our own website.
What does OCR do?
OCR (optical character recognition) reads the words in a picture of a page, like a scan or a photo. We add those words to your PDF as an invisible layer, so you can search, select and copy the text while the page still looks exactly like your original.
Which languages are supported?
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Indonesian, German and Italian. Pick every language that appears in your scan. For other languages, ask our experts.
Why is the text not perfect?
Results depend on the scan. Clear, straight, black-on-white pages work best. Blurry photos, handwriting, unusual fonts and pages that are sideways or upside-down can cause mistakes — rotate the pages first with Rotate PDF, or send the file to our experts to retype.
Is there a size limit?
You can read up to 100 pages at a time. For longer scans, split the PDF into parts first, then make each part searchable.
Guides and tips
All articles →
How-to guides
How to OCR a PDF: Make a Scanned PDF Searchable
A scanned PDF is just a picture of text. Here is how OCR makes it searchable and copyable, step by step, and how to get cleaner results.
· 4 min read
PDF tips
Why You Can't Edit Text in a Scanned PDF (and How to Fix It)
You click on the text and nothing happens. Here's why scanned PDFs can't be edited — and the right way to make the text usable again.
· 5 min read