SurveyOCR PDF: make a scan searchable
Read the words on scanned pages and add them as hidden text, so you can search, select and copy. Your file stays on your device.
or drop them here
Your files stay on this device
How to oCR PDF: make a scan searchable
- Choose a scanned PDF.
- Press Make searchable. Each page is read on your device.
- Save the new PDF, then search it with Ctrl+F or Cmd+F.
Make scanned as-builts and specs searchable
Run OCR on scanned as-builts, record drawings or old specs, then use Ctrl+F to find a room number, a note or a spec section. Typed and printed text reads best; handwritten notes usually don't.
Private
Your files stay on your device. Nothing is uploaded.
Free
No sign-up, no watermark on your file, no daily limit.
Works offline
Once the page loads, it keeps working without the internet.
Any device
Phone, tablet or computer, in Chrome, Edge or Safari.
Questions
What does OCR do?
OCR reads the letters in a picture of a page. This tool lays those words over the page as hidden text, so the page looks the same but you can search it and copy from it.
Which languages can it read?
English only for now. Other languages that use the same letters may partly work, but accents and other alphabets may come out wrong.
Can I do several files at once?
Yes. Choose or drop several files. Each one gets the same settings, and you save them all in one ZIP.
Will my pages look different?
No. The pages are not redrawn. The text sits on top, hidden, in the same place as the words in the scan.
How long does it take?
A few seconds a page on a computer, longer on a phone. Pages that already have text are skipped unless you turn that off.
Why can't it find some words?
Blurry, tilted, faint or very small scans are hard to read. Handwriting usually is not read. A clean scan at 300 DPI works best.
Does it work offline?
After the first time. The reader downloads about 3 MB the first time you use it, and your browser keeps it for next time.
Are my files uploaded?
No. The tool runs in your browser, so your files never leave your device. Nothing is sent to us or kept after you close the tab.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark on your file and no daily limit.
Is there a file size limit?
Only what your device can hold in memory. Most phones handle files of a few hundred MB; a computer handles more.
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