Recognise text in a scanned PDF (OCR)
Extract text from a scanned PDF with OCR (optical character recognition). Choose the document language for the best accuracy and download the recognised text as a file. Everything runs locally in your browser, no upload required.
Choose your PDF
Drop here or click to choose
Files stay on your device — nothing is uploaded
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Your file is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
How does it work?
- 1
Choose your scanned PDF
Drag the PDF here.
- 2
Choose the document language
Pick the language of the text for the best recognition.
- 3
Start OCR
Each page is rendered and the text recognised. This takes a moment.
- 4
Download
Download the recognised text as a .txt file.
Frequently asked questions
How long does OCR take?
On first use the language data for Tesseract is downloaded — a file of around 10 MB per language. After that each page takes a few seconds, depending on the amount of text and scan quality. A 10-page PDF typically takes 30-60 seconds.
How accurate is the text recognition?
Accuracy depends on scan quality. A clear scan of typed text at 300 dpi or higher gives excellent results — typically 95% or better. Handwritten text, low resolution or blurry scans give worse results. Always choose the correct language for the best accuracy.
Which languages are supported?
The tool supports dozens of languages via the Tesseract OCR library, including English, Dutch, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and many others. Choose the language that matches the document.
Does this work on a normal PDF with text?
Use the 'PDF to text' tool instead — it is much faster for PDFs with a real text layer. OCR is specifically for scanned documents where the text is stored as an image.
What if my scan is crooked?
Straighten your scan first with the 'Rotate PDF' tool. OCR works best when text is straight — skewed text significantly reduces accuracy.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Everything happens in your own browser. Your file never leaves your device and is not stored anywhere.
Is it free?
Yes, completely free, without watermark or account. The site is paid for by ads.
More reading
Why in the browser?
PDFrust runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly and modern JavaScript libraries such as pdf-lib and PDF.js. Your file is never sent to a server — all processing happens locally on your device. This means your documents remain private by design, regardless of what they contain. There is no account required, no file size limit, and nothing is stored after you close the tab.
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