Online PDF text recognition

PDF OCR Online

Extract editable text from scanned and image-only PDFs page by page. Preview the recognized content, then download Word, TXT, or Markdown.

PDF OCR

Upload a PDF for text recognition

Choose an OCR model, process the PDF pages, and review the recognized text before downloading it.

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Scanned, image-only, or regular PDF files up to 50 MB

Processes scanned, image-only, and regular PDF documents up to 50 MB

Reviews recognized output page by page before download

Exports editable Word, plain text, and Markdown files

How to OCR a PDF online

PDF OCR reads page images when a scanned document has little or no selectable text.

STEP 1

Upload your PDF

Choose a scanned, image-only, or regular PDF document up to 50 MB.

STEP 2

Recognize each page

OCRStack processes the document page by page and keeps useful text structure where possible.

STEP 3

Download editable text

Review the OCR result, then download Word, plain text, or Markdown for reuse.

Scanned PDF text extraction

Recover text from PDFs that behave like images

A scanned PDF may look like a normal document while containing only page images. OCR recognizes the visible characters so the content can be copied, searched in the exported text, and edited.

Extract text from multi-page scanned and image-only PDF files
Review the recognized result one page at a time
Keep useful headings, paragraphs, lists, and simple tables
Choose Word, TXT, or Markdown depending on the next task

Common ways to use pdf ocr online

Archived scans

Recover text from scanned reports, contracts, manuals, statements, and historical documents.

Research documents

Turn image-based papers, readings, and reference PDFs into text for notes, review, and knowledge workflows.

Operational records

Extract reusable content from forms, invoices, receipts, and business PDFs before manual verification.

PDF OCR output and limitations

This page focuses on extracting and exporting editable content. It does not currently add an invisible text layer back onto the original PDF.

Editable exports

Download the recognized content as Word, plain text, or Markdown for editing and reuse.

Layout complexity

Columns, forms, handwriting, decorative layouts, and complex tables may need correction after OCR.

Searchable PDF

OCRStack does not yet generate a visually identical searchable PDF with a hidden text layer.

PDF OCR questions

What is PDF OCR?

PDF OCR recognizes characters in scanned or image-based PDF pages and converts the visible content into machine-readable text.

Can OCRStack extract text from a scanned PDF?

Yes. Upload a PDF up to 50 MB, run OCR, and review the recognized result page by page.

Can I download the OCR result as Word?

Yes. OCRStack can create a .docx file from the recognized content. Plain-text and Markdown downloads are also available.

Does PDF OCR preserve the original layout exactly?

No. OCRStack focuses on readable, editable content and useful structure. Complex forms, columns, and designed layouts may not match the source pixel for pixel.

Does this create a searchable PDF?

Not yet. The current workflow exports recognized content as Word, TXT, or Markdown rather than adding a hidden text layer to the original PDF.

What is the difference between PDF OCR and PDF to Word?

PDF OCR is the broader text-recognition workflow with several export choices. PDF to Word is a task-specific page that emphasizes creating an editable DOCX file.

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