OCR PDF — Make PDF Searchable
Local Processing (Offline Capable)OCR PDF files in your browser and make PDF searchable — a dual-layer output lays an invisible text layer over the original scan for Ctrl+F search and copy-paste. No upload, no account.
How this tool works (no sign-up needed)
- Upload your file above. Each tool shows whether it runs Local (in your browser) or Cloud (encrypted servers).
- Adjust options, then click the Run / Convert / Process button.
- Wait for progress, then download the result. Use Next tools to continue.
If buttons are not visible, enable JavaScript — the interactive workspace loads in your browser.
Free · 100% Local WASMConvert scanned/image PDFs into dual-layer searchable documents with OCR text recognition
Supports application/pdf,.pdf
Language models download on demand (from this site, no third party).
Local — your file is processed in your browser and not uploaded to us. No account needed.
What is it?Local OCR (Searchable PDF) is a PDFLean AI document tool: Convert scanned and image-only PDFs into dual-layer searchable documents with local WASM OCR.
TL;DR: Convert scanned and image-only PDFs into dual-layer searchable documents with local WASM OCR. Everything runs locally in your browser — your file is never uploaded; recognition runs entirely in-browser via WebAssembly, so files never leave your device.
This tool adds a searchable text layer to scanned PDFs or images using on-device OCR, so the content can be selected, copied, and searched. All recognition runs purely in your browser via WebAssembly — the file never leaves your device. The output is a dual-layer searchable PDF: the original scan plus invisible recognized text. Key limitation: supported models cover Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, and Japanese; accuracy depends on scan quality, and very large documents should be split first because browser memory limits page-by-page processing.
About this tool
Designed for the moment you need a document changed quickly and privately. Convert scanned and image-only PDFs into dual-layer searchable documents with local WASM OCR. Invisible text overlay enables Ctrl+F search and copy-paste. Private by design. Processing runs locally in your browser's memory — the document is never transmitted, and closing the tab clears it completely. The workflow is deliberately short: load the file, choose the options on the page, run the operation, and save the result. Every choice is applied before the file is written, so re-running with different settings takes seconds. Practical limits apply (see the on-page limits); it pairs well with the related tools linked beside this page when one step is not the whole job. Key facts — Processing: runs entirely in your browser, client-side; Access: free with no account required; File limits: see the on-page limits; Privacy: the file never leaves the device.
How to use
Upload your scanned or image-based PDF document
Select recognition language model and sampling quality
Click "Start OCR & Make Searchable" to run local WASM recognition
Download the dual-layer searchable PDF or copy the extracted text directly
Watch: make a scanned PDF searchable in 85 seconds
OCR runs locally in your browser so you can find and copy the text in scanned pages. The video player loads only after you press play.
FAQ
What is a dual-layer searchable PDF?
It preserves the exact original scan image (stamps, signatures, and layouts) on the visual background layer, while placing an invisible text layer directly on top. This allows you to select, copy, and search keywords with Ctrl+F without altering the original visual layout.
Are my documents uploaded to a remote server for OCR?
Never. The OCR neural engine runs entirely in your browser via the WebAssembly sandbox using local CPU compute. Your confidential files never touch external servers.
What languages are supported, and how accurate is Chinese OCR?
Built-in models for Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, and Japanese offer solid recognition for clean printed documents; accuracy depends on scan quality and contrast, so manual proofreading is recommended for critical files.
Does the invisible text layer align precisely with the scanned text?
Yes. The engine extracts exact bounding-box coordinates for each word and renders invisible text precisely over the underlying image for natural selection.
How should skewed or shadowed mobile photo documents be handled?
You can enable the built-in "Auto Deskew" option to correct slight tilts; for heavily skewed or shadowed scans, we recommend running our "PDF Scan Enhancer" first to flatten shadows and enhance contrast before OCR.
How do I redact an SSN from a PDF?
If the file is a scan, OCR it first to recover the text, then redact the recognized SSN candidates and verify on the saved copy that nothing remains.
Read the guide: Redact an SSN From a PDF