OCR adds an invisible text layer on top of the page images. The PDF looks identical, but becomes searchable, copyable and machine-readable.
In practice: (1) 150–300 DPI scans give the best accuracy. (2) Only pages without a text layer are re-processed. (3) Combine with Compress for archives you keep long-term.
Frequently asked questions
Does OCR change how the PDF looks?
No. The text layer is invisible; the page images are untouched.
How long does OCR take?
Roughly one second per page on our servers, plus upload time.
Do it in the full tool
Open OCR PDF for all options, or jump straight to another step below.