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OCR PDF

Convert scanned PDF to searchable text.

How to Use OCR PDF

  1. Upload your file: Drag and drop your file into the active processing area above, or click the box to browse your device files.
  2. Configure settings: Select your preferred options (such as target file size in KB, compression level, page order, or output format).
  3. Process locally: Click the primary action button. Your file is rendered and encoded in seconds directly inside your browser memory.
  4. Download output: Click Download to save the modified document back to your device. No watermarks are added.

Zero-Cloud Privacy Guarantee

Unlike legacy web utilities that upload your sensitive documents to remote servers, PDFtiny executes 100% of processing inside your local browser using WebAssembly. Your files never leave your computer, ensuring complete privacy, enterprise compliance, and offline availability.

Technical Specifications

Parameter Specification
Processing EngineClient-Side WebAssembly (WASM) & HTML5 File API
Server Transmission0 Bytes Uploaded (100% Local Browser Memory)
Device CompatibilityChrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux
ComplianceISO 32000-2:2020, GDPR Article 25 (Privacy by Design)

Frequently Asked Questions

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

PDF to Text extracts text that is natively embedded as text characters in the PDF — instant and 100% accurate. OCR PDF visually reads scanned images of text using machine learning — necessary for documents that are photographs or scans with no embedded text layer.

Will OCR modify my original PDF or create a new one?

OCR creates a new output PDF with an invisible searchable text layer added over the original scan. Your original document pages remain visually identical — only text search and copy functionality is unlocked.