How to OCR and Clean a PDF
1. Upload Your Scanned PDF
Select the scanned document you want to process.
2. Choose Cleanup Options
Select options like deskew, despeckle, and OCR.
3. Process Document
Our tool cleans the images and makes the text searchable.
4. Download Clean PDF
Your clean, searchable, and optimized PDF is ready.
Key Features
- Searchable Text (OCR): Optical Character Recognition (OCR) turns images of text into selectable, searchable, and copyable text.
- Automatic Deskew: Instantly straightens pages that were scanned at an angle.
- Background & Speckle Removal: Cleans up scanned pages by removing background noise and random speckles for a crisp, clean look.
- Sharpen Content: Enhance the clarity of text and line art to improve readability.
- Archival Format (PDF/A): Optionally save your cleaned document in the PDF/A format, perfect for long-term archiving.
Use Cases
Convert a library of scanned historical documents into a fully searchable digital archive.
Make scanned contracts, invoices, and case files searchable to quickly find specific clauses, names, or figures.
Turn scanned textbook chapters or research articles into searchable PDFs so you can easily copy quotes and find keywords.
Tips & Best Practices
Start with High-Quality Scans
The quality of the OCR process is directly related to the quality of your scan. For best results, scan your documents at 300 DPI or higher.
Review the Output
While OCR is highly accurate, it can sometimes misinterpret characters, especially in low-quality scans. It's a good practice to search for a few key terms in your new PDF to verify the process worked as expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Tools
Ready to Upgrade Your Scans?
Transform your scanned documents into clean, clear, and fully searchable PDFs. Try our powerful OCR and cleanup tool now!