Make a PDF searchable
A scanned page is really a photograph of words, so there is nothing to search or copy. This tool reads those words with text recognition that runs on your own device, then tucks them invisibly behind each page.
How to use it
- Pick a scanned PDF, or a photo of a document.
- Press Make searchable. Allow a few seconds for each page.
- Save the searchable PDF. It looks just as it did, but the text can now be searched and copied.
What happens to each page
The reading is done by Tesseract, a long-standing text recognition engine, working inside your browser. Whatever words it finds are laid in a hidden layer that sits precisely behind the image of the page, so nothing looks different, yet you can search, select and copy the text. Any page that already contains text is skipped unless you choose otherwise.
On your first visit the browser fetches the recognition engine together with its English language data from this website, roughly 9 MB altogether. Your own file never leaves your device.
When to check the result
Neat, straight, printed pages are read with a high level of accuracy. Photographs taken at an angle, faded print, handwriting and unusual typefaces give weaker results. The page shows how sure the recognition was, which tells you when a closer check is worthwhile. For the moment, English is the only language it reads.
Questions and answers
What languages can it read?
Only English at present.
Can I turn the result into a Word file?
Yes. Press Keep going with this file to carry the searchable copy straight into PDF to Word.
Will my scan look any different afterwards?
No. The recognised words are placed in a hidden layer behind each page, so the pages look the same as before.
Does TeddyPDF upload my file?
No. Your browser does all the work, on your own device. Before it opens your file, this page shuts off its own ability to send or fetch anything, and your browser holds it to that. Try it: once the page has loaded, turn off your Wi-Fi and the tool still works. How the lock works.