Extract text from a scanned PDF
Upload an unlocked scanned PDF. Convurter renders pages for OCR, joins recognized text by page, and returns one expiring TXT download.
Input
scanned-packet.pdf
Output
pdf-ocr.txt
PDF Tools
PDF OCR
Run OCR on a scanned or image-based PDF and download plain text from temporary server processing.
Waiting
Temporary server processing
Input
PDF OCR. Sign in to use paid server processing. PDF OCR accepts PDF files up to 25 MB; files expire 1 hour after processing starts. High-cost OCR; use sparingly and review text carefully before relying on it.
PDF onlyUp to 25 MBUp to 25 pagesHigh-cost processingExpires after 1 hour
Drop a PDF hereTemporary upload required. Your file is checked before processing starts.
Guide
How to use PDF OCR
Step-by-step
- Choose a pdf file for temporary processing.
- Start the extraction job and wait for the status to change from queued or running to completed.
- Download the pdf, txt result and review it before sharing or archiving.
- Use the related tools on this page for cleanup, validation, conversion, or the next step in the workflow.
Questions
Is PDF OCR free to use?
Yes. The public tool is free to use with conservative temporary processing limits.
Are my files uploaded?
Yes. This tool uses temporary server processing, and job files are designed to expire automatically.
What should I check before using the pdf, txt result?
This tool returns plain text only, not a searchable PDF. Review the final output before using it in production work.
What can I do after this?
Good next steps include PDF to Text, PDF Text Layer Checker, and Text Diff.
Workflow fit
Use PDF OCR in the right place
If you are unsure, start from the PDF chooser and pick by task: inspect, organize, compress, convert, print, compare, or flatten.
Best for
- PDF workflows where page order, hidden document signals, output size, or final sharing quality matters.
- Preparing a review, upload, print, or archive copy without turning the page into a generic article detour.
- A focused extract task where the expected output is pdf.
Before you start
- This tool uses temporary server processing, so avoid uploading files you are not allowed to process in an external service.
- Keep an original PDF copy outside the workbench before creating edited, flattened, compressed, or converted outputs.
- If the document has passwords, unusual permissions, forms, annotations, or scripts, inspect those signals before finalizing a sharing copy.
- Finish page-order changes before adding page numbers, watermarks, compression, or other final-copy operations.
- Confirm the exact input and output expectation before running the tool.
Quality checks
- Confirm the extracted content is the content you intended; extraction is different from rendering, OCR, or visual review.
- Open the output PDF in a reader after processing; PDF structure can change even when the visible pages look similar.
- Check page count, page order, orientation, metadata, and file size against the actual destination requirement.
- Use checksums when the exact final copy needs to be referenced later.
- Download and open the file output before leaving the page or deleting the source copy.
Common mistakes
- Compressing a PDF before deleting, extracting, or reordering pages creates extra throwaway versions.
- Assuming visible page content is the whole document misses metadata, links, attachments, actions, annotations, and permissions.
- Using text extraction on scanned pages will not create OCR text. Treat no-text results as a scan signal.
- Uploading sensitive files without checking retention, limits, and whether local tools could solve the task first.
- Treating the first result as final without checking the destination requirement.
Continue the workflow
Use these when the current result is only one step in a longer task.
Verify or clean up
Use these when the output needs checking, cleanup, comparison, compression, or a final share-ready pass.