Scanned PDF to Word
Convert a scanned PDF to editable Word or text free using OCR. Runs entirely in your browser — your scan is never uploaded.
The 10-second test: switch off your Wi-Fi (or turn on airplane mode) and use this tool anyway. It keeps working — because there is no server doing the work.
The technical check: open your browser's developer tools, go to the Network tab, and run the tool. Your file is never sent anywhere.
Measured live on this page — files transmitted: 0 · file data sent: 0 bytes
This counter hooks the browser's own networking functions, so it would rise the instant any file data left this page. The only thing this site ever transmits is the contact form, if you choose to send one.
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How to convert a scanned PDF into an editable document
Normal PDF-to-Word converters fail on scans, because a scan contains no text to convert — only pictures of text. This tool reads the pages with OCR first, then hands you an editable .docx (or plain .txt if you prefer).
Expect the words, not the design: images, columns and tables are not rebuilt. For most people that is exactly right — they need the text back so they can edit it, not a pixel-perfect clone.
Two steps in one
A scanned PDF has no text in it — every page is an image. Converting it to Word therefore takes two operations: recognise the words with OCR, then write them into a document. This page does both. A normal PDF to Word conversion on a scan produces an empty file, which is why this exists separately.
What to expect from the result
You get the text, and you get it in a document you can edit. What you do not get is a faithful reproduction of the original layout. Columns, tables and precise positioning are inferred from a picture, and the inference is approximate. Treat the output as the words, recovered — then reformat.
Scan quality decides everything
300 DPI, straight, good contrast, printed text. Under 200 DPI accuracy drops sharply. A page photographed at an angle loses more accuracy than most people expect. Faint photocopies and handwriting are the two things that will not work — handwriting is not supported at all.
Why doing this locally matters
The documents people convert this way are contracts, medical letters, tax records and old correspondence. The engine downloads once and then runs on your own processor, so none of it is uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the regular PDF to Word tool not work?
Because your PDF is a scan. It holds images of text, so there is nothing to extract until OCR reads the pages — which is what this tool does.
Will the layout be preserved?
The text comes through in reading order, page by page. Complex layouts, tables and images are not reconstructed.
Is Acrobat Pro better at this?
Adobe reconstructs layout more aggressively, and it costs about $240 a year. This is free, and your document is never uploaded to anyone.
Why did normal PDF to Word give me an empty document?
Because the PDF is a scan. It contains images of text, so there is nothing to convert until OCR has recognised the words.
Will the layout match the original?
The text will be there; the layout will be approximate. Columns and tables are inferred from an image, so expect to reformat.
Does it work on handwritten documents?
No. Printed text only.