Convert a Scanned PDF to Searchable Text — Free OCR
A scanned PDF is just a photograph of a page. You can't search it, you can't copy text from it, and it's impossible to read on a phone because it has the same zoom problems as any other fixed-layout PDF — worse, actually, because there's no text layer at all.
The solution is OCR (Optical Character Recognition), which reads the image and extracts the text. Combined with EPUB conversion, you end up with a fully searchable, reflowable document you can read comfortably on any device.
Free, no account needed, no software to install.
Convert your scanned PDF →How it works
Go to toolkit.bot/pdf2epub.
Upload your scanned PDF. The converter automatically detects whether the PDF contains real text or scanned images. For scanned pages, it runs OCR to extract the text before building the EPUB.
Download the EPUB. It's fully searchable and reflowable.
What you can do with the result
- Search the text — find any word or phrase instantly
- Copy and paste — quotes, references, passages
- Read on any device — phone, tablet, Kindle, e-reader
- Change font size — because it's reflowable text, not an image
- Use with screen readers — the text layer is accessible
Common use cases
- Scanned books — older books scanned as images, textbooks, public domain works
- Legal documents — contracts, court filings, certificates scanned and saved as PDF
- Academic papers — older research papers available only as scans
- Receipts and invoices — useful if you need to extract amounts or reference numbers
- Medical records — patient summaries, lab reports sent as scanned images
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is the OCR?
Accuracy depends on the scan quality. Clean, high-contrast scans of typed text come out nearly perfect (95–99% accuracy). Handwritten text is not reliable — OCR is designed for printed characters.
How long does OCR take?
OCR processing takes a bit longer than text-only PDFs — typically 1–3 minutes for a 100-page document.
What can I do with the result?
The resulting EPUB is fully searchable and reflowable. You can search for any word, copy text, read it on any device, change the font size, and use it with screen readers.
Does it work on scanned books, legal documents, and medical records?
Yes. Common use cases include older scanned books, contracts and court filings, academic papers available only as scans, receipts and invoices, and medical records sent as scanned images.