AfroTools / Tools / PDF OCR

OCR PDF Online

Extract copyable text from scanned PDFs and document images. Choose the document language, review page-level confidence, then copy or download a TXT file.

Local OCR Page confidence 5 Languages PDF and images
Upload File
OCR Settings
Preparing...
Extracted Text
Pages-
Words-
Confidence-
Language-
How It Works
  • Upload a scanned PDF or image
  • Select the document language
  • Each PDF page is rendered as an image
  • Tesseract.js OCR extracts text
  • Review confidence, then copy or download text
Supported Formats
  • PDF -- scanned or image-based
  • PNG, JPG, JPEG -- photos of documents
  • WEBP, BMP, TIFF -- other image formats
Note: OCR on large PDFs can take several minutes. The OCR engine and language data load from AfroTools local assets. Processing happens entirely in your browser -- your files and extracted text are never uploaded by this tool.
Tips for Better Results
  • Use high-resolution scans (300+ DPI)
  • Ensure text is not rotated or skewed
  • Select the correct language
  • Clean, high-contrast documents work best

Free OCR PDF Tool -- Extract Text from Scanned Documents

AfroTools OCR PDF is a free, browser-based tool that extracts text from scanned PDFs and document images. It uses local Tesseract.js assets to recognize text in your browser, then shows page-by-page text, word count, and confidence signals.

What is PDF OCR?

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) converts images of text into machine-readable text. When you scan a document, the resulting PDF often contains page images rather than selectable text. This tool analyzes those images and extracts text you can review, copy, search inside the result box, or download as a TXT file.

Multi-Language Support

Built for a global audience, this tool supports five languages: English, French, Arabic, Swahili, and Portuguese. Select the matching language before extraction for the most accurate results.

Privacy First

Unlike many online OCR tools that upload files to remote servers, AfroTools OCR PDF processes the document locally in your browser using WebAssembly-powered Tesseract.js. Your sensitive documents and extracted text stay on your device unless you choose to copy or download them.

OCR limits

Check extracted text before copying or downloading it

OCR runs in this browser with local Tesseract assets where supported. Accuracy depends on scan quality, language, layout, rotation, handwriting, and image contrast.

Local-first OCR workflow

Reviewed 2026. Disclaimer: verify with the original document before relying on extracted text. Direct local TXT downloads do not upload your files.

Methodology

  • Renders supported PDF or image pages locally, then passes page images to the browser OCR engine.
  • Language selection guides recognition; it does not guarantee perfect spelling, table structure, or reading order.
  • Text export should be treated as extracted content, not an official transcript or certified accessibility file.

Before sharing

  • Compare names, dates, numbers, legal wording, totals, and table rows against the original document.
  • Avoid storing raw OCR text in shared notes when documents include IDs, medical records, contracts, invoices, or school records.
  • For page cleanup or export prep, continue in PDF Workspace.