OCR a PDF online — free and private

Recognise text in a scanned or image-only PDF so you can select, copy and edit it — processed entirely in your browser.

Open the PDF editorBrowse all tools
  • 100% in your browser
  • No upload
  • Free — no sign-up
  • No watermark

How to OCR a PDF online

A scanned PDF is just a picture of text — you can’t select or edit it. EditMyStuff runs OCR (optical character recognition) directly in your browser to detect the words on the page, so you can select, copy and edit them like a normal document. Because the recognition runs on your device, even sensitive scans stay private: nothing is uploaded.

How to run OCR on a PDF

Turn a scan into editable text without any upload:

  1. Open your scanned PDF in the editor — it loads on your device.
  2. Let it recognise the text — OCR runs in your browser and detects the words on each page.
  3. Select and edit — click the recognised text to copy it or edit it like normal PDF text.
  4. Export — download a clean PDF with your changes, no watermark and no sign-up.

Why OCR PDFs here

  • On-device OCR. Recognition happens in your browser, so scanned documents are never sent to a server.
  • Select and edit. Turn a flat image of text into words you can highlight, copy and correct.
  • No installs. No desktop OCR software or plugins — it runs in any modern browser.
  • Free. No account, no credits and no watermark on what you export.

Frequently asked questions

Is OCR free here?

Yes. Text recognition runs in your browser for free, with no account and no per-page credits.

Is my scan uploaded for OCR?

No. OCR runs on your own device, so the document is never sent anywhere — ideal for sensitive scans.

What languages does it recognise?

It recognises standard printed English text well. Very stylised fonts, handwriting or low-resolution scans are harder, as with any OCR.

Can I edit the recognised text?

Yes. Once text is recognised you can select and edit it like normal PDF text, then export.

Will OCR be perfect?

OCR accuracy depends on the scan quality — clean, high-resolution scans recognise best. You can always fix any stray characters before exporting.

Does it work on mobile?

Yes, though recognising many pages is faster on a laptop or desktop.

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Helpful guides