OCR PDF

Turn scanned pages into selectable, searchable text. Pages that already contain real text are detected and left untouched, so only genuine scans are processed.

Scanned pages are recognized with Tesseract.js entirely in your browser (no file is uploaded). Pages that already contain selectable text are left as their original, unaltered text/vector content in the searchable PDF.

Processed in your browser. This tool reads your file locally and does not upload it to any server. How we handle your files.

How to ocr pdf

  1. Step 1

    Upload a scanned or mixed PDF and pick the document language.

  2. Step 2

    Choose whether you also want a searchable PDF with an invisible text layer.

  3. Step 3

    Click Run OCR, then download the text file or the searchable PDF.

Why use IlikePDF?

  • Your files stay with you

    Tools marked as browser-based read your document locally. There is no upload step, no server-side storage and no account.

  • No signup, no watermarks

    Every tool is free to use and adds nothing to your document that you didn't ask for.

  • Honest about limits

    Where a conversion can't be perfect in a browser, we say so on the page instead of shipping a file that quietly loses your formatting.

  • Works on your phone

    The interface is built for small screens as well as desktop, so you can fix a document wherever you are.

Frequently asked questions

How accurate is browser OCR?

Good on clean, high-resolution scans. Accuracy drops with handwriting, low-resolution images, unusual fonts and heavy background noise.

Why is there a 50-page limit?

OCR is by far the heaviest operation on the site. The cap keeps your browser responsive rather than letting a large document exhaust memory.

What does a searchable PDF contain?

Your original page image with an invisible text layer positioned over the recognized words, so the page looks unchanged but text can be selected and searched.

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