Make your PDFs searchable with OCR
OCR (Optical Character Recognition) transforms scanned documents into searchable, selectable text. Whether you're digitising old paper records or need to quickly extract key information from a scanned report, OCR technology simplifies finding, copying, and repurposing content within your PDFs.
How to apply OCR software to a PDF online
Follow these simple steps to apply optical character recognition (OCR) to your PDF:
- Click the Select a file button above or drag and drop a PDF into the drop zone.
- Choose the PDF document you want Acrobat to recognise text in so you can search, copy and highlight the text.
- Wait for the file to upload. Acrobat will use OCR technology to recognise the text in your document.
- Sign in to download the searchable PDF or get a shareable link.
Try our free PDF OCR tool
High-quality character recognition
Adobe Acrobat's online OCR tool scans and recognises text in your documents, creating easily searchable PDFs. You can also copy and highlight the recognised text.
Convert PDFs into searchable text
Transform your static PDFs into dynamic documents with searchable text. Quickly find key information by searching for specific words or phrases.
Extract text for accessibility
OCR enhances accessibility by converting content into a format readable by screen readers, ensuring that visually impaired users can access and navigate your documents.
No extra software to install
Access Adobe Acrobat OCR tools directly from your browser — whether it's Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or any other. No additional software installation is required.
Trusted file security and privacy
Adobe integrates robust security measures into every PDF created with Acrobat. Plus, our OCR technology uses encryption to help keep your data secure while working online.
The best OCR reader online
Adobe invented the PDF file format, so you can trust that our online PDF tools, including our OCR technology, offer the highest quality and reliability.
Who can benefit from OCR?
OCR technology is a game-changer for anyone handling documents in their day-to-day. Here are some examples of how different users can take advantage of it:
Students and researchers:
Transform scanned textbooks and notes into searchable digital files, making it easy to find and organise key information quickly.
Legal and medical professionals:
Digitise and index legal documents and medical records to ensure they’re easily searchable and accessible, improving accuracy and record-keeping.
General users:
Turn old paper documents and receipts into searchable files, simplifying your personal document management and making information retrieval a breeze.
Questions? We have answers.
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