Using Google Docs for OCR: Making PDFs Searchable

Searching inside a scanned PDF is frustrating. The problem usually happens when there’s no real text to find.

OCR, short for Optical Character Recognition, fixes this by creating a text layer that your computer can search, select, and copy.

What Makes A PDF ‘Searchable’

A searchable PDF has a text layer behind what you see on the page. Your scan stays visible, but there’s also selectable text that powers Ctrl+F, copy and paste, and better accessibility.

If your PDF is only an image, you’ll usually notice two signs. You can’t select a single word, and searching finds nothing.

How To Make a PDF Searchable in Google Docs

Google Drive can convert PDFs (and image files) to text by opening them in Google Docs. Google’s own guidance is clear on what works best.

The file should be 2 MB or smaller, right-side up, and reasonably sharp, and Google notes that complex formatting like tables and columns may not transfer well.

Prepare Your Scan for Better OCR Results

Before you upload anything, do these quick fixes.

• Make sure pages are upright. Rotate first if needed.
• Use a clear scan with strong contrast and even lighting.
• Keep the file size at 2 MB or less for best compatibility with this method.

Convert the PDF Using Google Drive and Google Docs

Here’s the clean workflow inside Drive:

• Upload your scanned PDF to Google Drive.
• Right-click the file in Drive.
• Click “Open with” and choose “Google Docs.”
• Let Google Docs process the file and generate selectable text.

Export Back to a PDF and Test Search

Once the document opens in Google Docs, you’ll typically want a PDF again for sharing.

• In Google Docs, go to “File” > “Download” > “PDF Document (.pdf)”.
• Open the exported PDF.
• Press “Ctrl + F” (Windows) or “Command + F” (Mac) and search for a word you can see.

What Google Docs OCR Keeps, and What it Might Lose

Google explicitly warns that some formatting may not transfer during conversion. Basic text styling can survive, but lists, tables, and multi-column layouts are less reliable.

If your PDF is heavy on tables, columns, or complex layouts, you’ll usually get better results by using an OCR workflow that keeps the output as a PDF, then cleaning up the file in smaller steps.

How To Make a PDF Searchable With Smallpdf

If you want to keep the document as a PDF and add searchability, Smallpdf PDF OCR is designed for that. It extracts text from image-based PDFs so you can search and select it, and it runs in your browser on desktop and mobile.

Use Smallpdf PDF OCR

Here’s the straightforward flow.

• Open Smallpdf PDF OCR.
• Upload your scanned PDF from your device, Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive.
• Run OCR and let it process the file.
• Download the searchable PDF, then test it with “Ctrl + F” or “Command +F.”

Smallpdf notes that OCR is available to use for free with limits, so heavy or repeated OCR work may hit daily usage caps.

When Smallpdf Is the Better Pick

Smallpdf usually fits better when you care about the PDF output.

• You need a searchable PDF, not a Google Doc.
• Your scan is longer than a couple of pages.
• You want to keep pages looking like the original scan.
• You plan to keep working on the PDF afterward, like compressing, splitting, merging, or exporting.

Why Make a PDF Searchable (Use Cases)

OCR sounds technical, but the day-to-day reasons are simple.

Invoices, Receipts, and Admin Work

You can search vendor names, invoice numbers, or totals instead of scrolling. It also helps when you’re double-checking one line in a long scan.

Contracts And Compliance Files

Being able to search a PDF can really speed up reviews. You can jump to terms like “termination,” “payment,” or “effective date” in seconds.

School, Research, and Notes

If you’ve got a scanned reading packet, search saves you from flipping between pages. It also makes quoting and referencing much faster.

How To Check If Your PDF Is Already Searchable

Don’t run OCR if you don’t need it.

Try Selecting a Word

Click and drag across a single word.

• If you can highlight individual letters or words, it likely has a text layer.
• If you only draw a selection box, it’s probably image-only.

Test Ctrl+F (Windows) or Command + F (Mac)

Search for a word you can clearly see. If nothing highlights, OCR is the next step.

Troubleshooting Google Docs OCR

Google Docs OCR can be surprisingly good, but it has known issues.

The File Is Too Large

Google’s guidance says the file should be 2 MB or smaller for best results. If your scan is bigger, split it into smaller chunks first, run OCR, then merge the searchable PDFs back together.

Tables and Columns Turn Into a Mess

Google notes that tables, columns, footnotes, and endnotes are not likely to be detected accurately.

If the layout matters, use OCR to produce a searchable PDF first, then export to an editable format only if you truly need to rewrite content.

The Text Comes Out Wrong or Jumbled

Poor scan quality is the usual culprit. Smallpdf’s guidance on searchable vs. non-searchable PDFs calls out OCR errors and recommends re-running OCR and improving scan quality, ideally around 300 DPI or higher.

A quick fix that works more often than people expect is rescanning with better lighting and sharper focus.

What To Do After Your PDF Is Searchable

Once OCR is done, you can treat the file like a normal working document.

• Compress it for email and faster sharing.
• Split out only the pages you need.
• Merge it with other PDFs in the right order.
• Convert it to Word if you need to rewrite large sections.

Make Searchable PDFs Part of Your Workflow With Smallpdf

Making a PDF searchable doesn’t just save time, it changes how you work with scans day to day.

When you run OCR with Smallpdf PDF OCR, you can turn a static scan into something you can search, copy, and keep accessible, then keep moving with options like Split PDF, Merge PDF, Compress PDF, and PDF to Word when the next task shows up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make a PDF searchable with Google Docs?

Upload the PDF to Google Drive, then right-click it and open it with Google Docs. Google’s own guide recommends keeping files at 2 MB or smaller for best results.

Why isn’t Ctrl+F working on my scanned PDF?

Your PDF likely has no text layer. OCR creates that layer so search can ‘see’ the words. Smallpdf’s guide explains this as the classic difference between searchable and scanned image PDFs.

Will Google Docs OCR keep my tables and columns?

Not reliably. Google notes that lists, tables, and columns are not likely to be detected correctly during conversion.

Can I make a PDF searchable on my phone?

Yes. You can scan with your phone, then run OCR in a mobile browser. Smallpdf supports OCR online on desktop, tablet, and mobile.

Is Smallpdf PDF OCR free?

You can use its online PDF tools for free with limits, and pricing details show daily limits on free usage for features like PDF OCR.

What’s a “sandwich PDF?”

It’s a PDF that keeps the original scan image while adding an invisible text layer underneath. That mix is what makes the file searchable without changing how it looks.

Why does OCR miss words that are clearly visible?

OCR accuracy drops with blurry scans, low contrast, skewed pages, and unusual fonts. Improving scan quality and re-running OCR is often the quickest fix.

Can I edit the text after OCR?

You can, but it depends on what you need. For small touch-ups, editing the PDF can be enough. For big rewrites, converting to Word after OCR is usually faster.