OCR guide
How to convert a scanned PDF to searchable text
By Waleed Sheeraz, independent operator of A2Z Edit · Updated 2026-08-25
Search only works when text exists. Scans need OCR before “find on page” means anything in other tools.
Run PDF to Text on A2Z Edit, then keep the extracted text with your archive.
Do this on A2Z Edit
Open the PDF to Text — English and follow the steps below.
Open PDF to Text — EnglishHow to convert a scanned PDF to searchable text
- Open PDF to Text (English or Arabic).
- Upload the scanned PDF.
- OCR the pages.
- Save the text output in a notes file or document.
- Use your editor’s search to find names and terms.
Why it matters
Searchable text turns a static scan pile into a usable knowledge store.
Tips
- OCR section by section for huge books.
- Fix critical proper nouns once, then reuse the cleaned text.
- Still keep the visual PDF for signatures and layout.
Frequently asked questions
Does this embed a text layer automatically?
The workflow emphasizes extracted text you can save and search externally.
English or Arabic?
Match the document’s script.
What if only some pages are scans?
Extract those pages, OCR them, and leave digital pages on the TXT path.
Related tools
Related guides
Choosing the right OCR languageChoose the right OCR language on A2Z Edit: English or Arabic Image/PDF to Text so recognition matches the scri…Arabic OCR vs English OCRArabic OCR vs English OCR on A2Z Edit: why language-specific pages matter, when bilingual tools help, and how …How does OCR work?How does OCR work? A plain-language look at optical character recognition, English vs Arabic models, and when …How to extract Arabic text from an imageExtract Arabic text from an image with A2Z Edit OCR. Upload a JPG, PNG, or WebP, run Arabic Image to Text in y…
More how-tos: Guides