Extract text from a scanned PDF with local OCR

Each page is rendered on your device and analyzed with Tesseract. Accuracy depends on resolution, language, orientation, and scan quality.

Use this tool

LOCAL PROCESSING

Everything happens in your browser

The file and text never leave your device.

Select fileor drag it here75 MB maximum · local processing

Text language

Result

Select or drag a file to continue.

Local OCR for scanned documents

Choose a language and process the PDF page by page. The first use may download the OCR engine and language resources; document processing stays in the browser.

Review names, numbers, and tables

OCR can confuse similar characters and may not reconstruct tables or columns. Compare the text with the PDF before reusing important information.

How to get better OCR results

Use a straight scan, sharp text, and the correct language. Shadows, blur, very small type, and rotated pages reduce accuracy. If the document contains a table, review every column: output is delivered as text and does not preserve an editable grid.

The result is TXT, not a searchable PDF

The tool downloads a .txt file with a separator for each page. Use it to copy, search, or review recognized content; it does not add an invisible text layer to the original PDF or modify the PDF you selected.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Does it work on PDFs that already contain text?

Yes, but the Extract PDF Text tool is faster and usually preserves reading order better for those files.

Why can the first run take longer?

The browser must load the OCR engine and the selected language resources before recognizing pages.

Why is my TXT empty or inaccurate?

Check that you selected the correct language and that the scan has enough contrast and resolution. OCR interprets pixels: a blurred, dark, or rotated image may not produce reliable text.

Does it create a searchable PDF?

No. This version extracts recognized text to a page-by-page TXT file. The original PDF is not modified.

What is the maximum PDF size?

You can process PDFs up to 75 MB. Long documents need more time and memory because every page is rendered and recognized locally.

Is the PDF uploaded during OCR?

No. The PDF is rendered and recognized in your browser. The first use can download OCR engine and language resources, but the document is not sent to PriviTools.