How to Extract Text from Scanned PDF Documents

If you received a scanned contract, report, or statement as a PDF, standard copy-paste doesn’t work. Your computer only “sees” an image, not real text.

That’s where OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and proper PDF text extraction come in.

We’ll show you exactly how to extract text from a scanned PDF with Smallpdf, what other options exist, and how to fix common problems like blurry scans or missing text.

How Can I Extract Text From A Scanned PDF? (Quick Answer)

If your PDF is a scan or a photo of text, you need OCR to convert it into editable text.

In short: 1. Upload your scanned PDF to a PDF text extraction tool with OCR (like Smallpdf PDF to Word). 2. The tool analyzes the page image and detects the characters. 3. You download a searchable PDF or an editable file such as Word, TXT, or Google Docs.

This works for multi-page documents, financial statements, forms, and most printed text.

What is OCR & How Does it Help With PDF Text Extraction

OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition. It scans each page like a human reading a printed sheet, and it turns the visible letters into real, digital text.

Without OCR, a scanned PDF is just an image. With OCR, you unlock:

• Searchable text: Use Ctrl + F (or Cmd + F) to find words.
• Selectable text: Highlight, copy, and paste like any normal document.
• Editable content: Adjust wording, fix typos, and reuse text in other files.
• Accessible documents: Screen readers can read the content out loud.

You need OCR when:

• The PDF came from a scanner or phone camera.
• You can’t select individual words; dragging the mouse selects the whole page.
• Copy-paste gives you nothing or strange symbols.

In all those cases, PDF text extraction with OCR is the right solution.

How To Extract Text From A Scanned PDF Online (Free)

Smallpdf runs in your browser, so you can use it on any device without installing software.

Step 1: Open Smallpdf’s OCR PDF To Word

Head over to the PDF to Word.

This feature includes OCR, so it can handle scanned PDFs and image-based files.

Step 2: Upload Your Scanned PDF

You’ve got a few options:

• Drag and drop your scanned PDF into the upload area.
• Click the button to choose a file from your device.
• Import from Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive.

Smallpdf detects automatically if your file needs OCR.

Step 3: Let OCR Process Your Document

Once uploaded, our engine analyzes each page. It finds printed text in the images and builds a text layer on top. For multi-page PDFs, all pages are processed in one go.

You don’t need to tweak settings in most cases. The default OCR setup works well for standard documents.

Step 4: Download Or Export Your Extracted Text

After OCR finishes, you can choose how you want to use the text:

• Word (.docx): For full editing, formatting, and rewriting.
• Plain text (.txt): For simple copying, scripts, or data pipelines.
• Searchable PDF: Keep the PDF format, but make text selectable and searchable.
• Google Docs: Save directly to your Drive for online collaboration.

Pick the format that best fits your workflow. For heavy editing, Word or Google Docs work best. For quick copy-paste, TXT is enough. For sharing, a searchable PDF is ideal.

Other Ways To Extract Text From PDFs (And When To Use Them)

Not every PDF needs OCR. Here’s how other methods compare.

1. Copy Text From A Normal (Non-Scanned) PDF

If you can already select text in your PDF:

• Open the PDF in your viewer or browser.
• Select the text you need.
• Copy and paste into Word, Notes, or email.

This is the simplest option and gives very clean results, but it only works when the PDF already contains real text.

2. Extract Text Using AI PDF Summarizer (OCR + Summary)

If you need both extracted text and a quick overview, the AI PDF Summarizer gives you both in one step.

Here’s how to use it: 1. Visit AI PDF Summarizer on Smallpdf. 2. Upload or drag and drop your scanned PDF, image, Word, or Excel file. 3. The tool automatically performs OCR to extract your text. 4. You’ll get a summarized version of the document, including key points. 5. Copy or download the extracted text or summary in your preferred format.

Use this when you want fast text extraction plus an instant understanding of the document’s contents.

3. Manual Retyping

As a last resort, you can type the text by hand:

• Useful when the scan is extremely blurry or handwritten.
• Best for short, critical passages where accuracy matters more than speed.

For longer documents, manual typing is slow and error-prone, so OCR is almost always better.

4. Mobile OCR Apps

If your document is on paper:

• Take a photo with your phone.
• Use a scanning or note app with built-in OCR.

This is handy for receipts, quick notes, or single pages. For full reports or formal PDFs, online PDF text extraction usually gives more consistent results.

5. Desktop OCR Software

Desktop solutions can be useful when:

• You handle very sensitive files that must stay offline.
• You process large batches on a local machine.

But for most users, browser-based OCR like Smallpdf is enough, especially when you only need to convert documents from time to time.

Tips To Get Better OCR Results On Scanned PDFs

Good input gives better output. To improve PDF text extraction quality, try to:

1. Improve Scan Quality

• Use at least 300 DPI when scanning.
• Avoid shadows, folds, and glare on the page.
• Place pages flat and straight on the scanner.

2. Make Text Easy To Read

• Aim for dark text on a light background.
• Avoid colored paper or heavy patterns behind the text.
• Don’t tilt pages too much. A slight skew is fine, but extreme angles are not.

3. Help The OCR Understand The Language

• If your OCR tool offers language selection, choose the right language.
• Use printed text instead of cursive handwriting when possible.

Even with imperfect scans, OCR can often recover most content. If you see many errors, try rescanning or using clearer photos.

Start Extracting Text From Scanned PDFs—Free

You don’t need advanced tools or technical knowledge to turn scanned PDFs into usable text.

With Smallpdf, you upload, wait a moment, and download an editable, searchable version in the format you prefer.

• Works in any modern browser
• Runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android
• Uses secure connections and follows GDPR requirements

If you often work with scanned invoices, statements, reports, or archives, PDF text extraction saves time and reduces manual effort.

Try OCR text extraction for free and unlock the text in your scanned PDFs in just a few clicks.

FAQs About Extracting Text from Scanned PDFs

Can I extract text from a scanned PDF for free?

Yes! Smallpdf offers free OCR text extraction with no registration required. Simply upload your scanned PDF, and we’ll process it instantly.

What languages does Smallpdf OCR support?

Our OCR technology supports multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and many more. The tool automatically detects the language in most cases.

Does OCR work on handwritten text in PDFs?

OCR works best with printed text, but it can recognize some clear, block-style handwriting. For best results, use documents with typed or printed text.

Can I extract text from multiple pages at once?

Absolutely! Upload multi-page scanned PDFs and our OCR will process all pages simultaneously, maintaining the document structure and page order.

Why isn’t all the text being recognized correctly?

OCR accuracy depends on scan quality, resolution, and contrast. Blurry, low-resolution, or poorly contrasted scans may have recognition errors. Try rescanning at a higher quality for better results.

What’s the difference between OCR and regular PDF text?

Regular PDFs contain actual text that you can select and copy. Scanned PDFs are just images of text that need OCR to become searchable and selectable.

Can I edit the text after OCR extraction?

Yes, you can. Once OCR is complete, export your document to Word or another editable format to make changes, corrections, or additions to the extracted text.

Does OCR preserve the original formatting?

OCR focuses on text recognition first, though some formatting, like paragraphs and basic structure, is usually preserved. For complex layouts, you may need to adjust formatting after extraction.