How do I make a scanned PDF searchable using Scan & OCR?

Open your scanned PDF in Acrobat. Go to 'All tools' > 'Scan & OCR' > 'In this file'. Set the page range and language for your document. Click 'Recognize Text' to add a searchable text layer. This lets you find words in your scanned document.

What is the difference between scanning a document and recognizing text in a scan?

Action What it does Result. Scanning a document Turns a physical paper into a digital image file (like a PDF). An image-based PDF; you cannot select or search for text. Recognizing text (OCR) Analyzes the image of text in a scanned PDF and converts it into actual, selectable text. A searchable PDF with a hidden text layer; you can search, copy, and edit the text.

Digitize Paper Forms in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Convert the paper supplier contact forms received today into editable Word format and enter…+

Convert the paper supplier contact forms received today into editable Word format and enter names, emails, and phone numbers into the searchable [spreadsheet=contacts spreadsheet] so colleagues can find them later.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

BImprove — “do it better”Scan and convert today's supplier contact forms into Word, extract and validate company name,…+

Scan and convert today's supplier contact forms into Word, extract and validate company name, primary contact, email, and phone, then append these to the [spreadsheet=Master Supplier Contacts spreadsheet] with source file name and date so everyone can search and trace entries back to the form.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open the scanned PDF file in Adobe Acrobat.
2
Go to the Tools menu.
3
Select Scan & OCR from the tools list.
4
Click Recognize Text and choose In This File.
5
In the settings panel, ensure PDF Output Style is set to Searchable Image.
6
Click Recognize to start the OCR process.
7
Save the PDF after OCR is complete.
Best practiceFor best OCR accuracy, scan your documents at 300 dpi and ensure the images are clear before running OCR.

In the appWith the API

After OCR completes, you can search, copy, and highlight text in your previously scanned PDF.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

OCROCR stands for Optical Character Recognition. It is technology that turns images of text into real text you can search and copy.ExampleAfter scanning a paper invoice, OCR allows you to copy the vendor's name from the image.

DPIDPI means dots per inch, and it tells you how clear an image is when it is scanned.ExampleA scanned photo saved at 300 DPI will usually contain more detail than the same photo at 72 DPI.

Searchable LayerA hidden layer of text added to an image-based PDF, allowing you to search for words within the document.ExampleThe hidden searchable layer in the scanned contract allowed us to find specific clauses.

Who does this

3 roles

ArchivistResearch LibrarianRecords Manager

FAQ

about this task

Open your scanned PDF in Acrobat.
Go to 'All tools' > 'Scan & OCR' > 'In this file'.
Set the page range and language for your document.
Click 'Recognize Text' to add a searchable text layer. This lets you find words in your scanned document.

OCR, or Optical Character Recognition, is a technology that converts images of text into actual text data. It's important for digitizing paper forms because it makes the text in your scanned documents searchable and selectable. Without OCR, your scanned forms are just pictures, and you can't easily find specific information or copy text from them.

If your scanned document is blurry, the OCR process might not work as well. Acrobat needs clear text to recognize it accurately. For the best text recognition, try to scan your documents at a higher quality, like 300 dpi. If the original scan is very blurry, OCR might make mistakes or miss some words. Always check the recognized text for errors after the process.

Acrobat shows 'page contains renderable text' because the page already has real text on it, not just an image of text. The Scan & OCR feature is designed to work on image-only pages, turning pictures of words into searchable text. If a page already has text, Acrobat doesn't need to recognize it. This message means you don't need to run OCR on that specific page.

Action	What it does	Result
Scanning a document	Turns a physical paper into a digital image file (like a PDF).	An image-based PDF; you cannot select or search for text.
Recognizing text (OCR)	Analyzes the image of text in a scanned PDF and converts it into actual, selectable text.	A searchable PDF with a hidden text layer; you can search, copy, and edit the text.

Digitize Paper Forms

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

When it fails