Any language, nothing to set
Latin letters, Arabic, Chinese and more are read line by line, even mixed on one page. There is no language to choose first.
OCR a PDF: extract the text from a scanned PDF, Arabic included
Extract the text from a scanned PDF so you can copy and search it. GenPDF reads the words in any language on the page, Arabic included, and saves them into the PDF as text, the pages keeping their scanned look. 5 pages a day are free; a page's image goes to our server only when you choose to read it, and is deleted as soon as the text is back.
or drop it here
- Scans are read on our server only if you agree
- Free, no account needed
- Works on phones
How it works
How to OCR a scanned PDF
- 01
Choose your scanned PDF. It opens in the editor with OCR ready.
- 02
Choose the pages to read, then Read the scanned pages: their images are read on our server, and the text is saved into the PDF.
- 03
Edit any line if you like, and download a PDF you can search and copy from.
Why GenPDF
OCR PDF with GenPDF: what is different
The page looks the same
The text is saved invisibly over the scanned words, so the page keeps its look while search, copy and selection start to work.
Then use it like any text
Once saved, a scanned line can be edited like typed text, and tools that need words, such as PDF to Word and Redact, can find it.
Questions
OCR PDF: questions and answers
How do I copy text from a scanned PDF?
Choose the PDF here, pick the pages and Read the scanned pages: the text is saved into the PDF in reading order. Download it, and the text can be selected, copied and searched in any PDF reader. To change the words on the scan itself, see editing a scanned PDF.
Does the OCR read Arabic?
Yes, Arabic like any other: it reads any language on any line, Latin letters, Arabic, Chinese and more, even several on one page. You don't pick a language before it reads.
Is my scan uploaded?
Only the images of its scanned pages: each is sent to our server, read, and deleted as soon as the text is back. Saving the text into the PDF happens in your browser, and the PDF itself is not sent.
Will every word be read correctly?
Clear, straight scans read best. GenPDF shows how sure it is of each line so you can check it, and Deskew straightens a slanted scan. Turned text, or letters no font here can draw, is left out and counted.
Is OCR free?
Yes, with no account: 5 scanned pages a day are read free; Pro or a 7-day pass reads 100 a day.
Can I convert it to Word afterwards?
Yes. Once the recognized text is saved into the PDF, PDF to Word gives you an editable document, with Arabic in reading order.
Blog
Articles about this tool
Guides
Copy Arabic text from a PDF: fix symbols and word order
Getting symbols or reversed Arabic words when copying a PDF? Identify encoding or scan issues and choose text recovery, export or OCR.