PeekPlainFeatures / OCR PDF
OCR a scanned PDF on Mac
Make a scanned PDF searchable, so you can find words, select text and copy it, without sending the scan anywhere.
Pro
How to, in three steps
- Open the scanned PDF.
- Press ⌘K and type "Make Searchable". PeekPlain reads the text on each page using Apple's on-device text recognition.
- Save. The pages look the same, with an invisible text layer added so search and copy work. Your original is kept as a backup.
Pro. Making a PDF searchable is a Pro feature. Selecting text in a single image on screen is free.
Works offline. Your files never leave your Mac.
Text recognition runs on your Mac. Online OCR services have to receive your scans; PeekPlain does not. PeekPlain sends no files and no usage data anywhere; see the privacy page.
PeekPlain is in free beta and some features are still arriving. The changelog lists what has shipped.
Questions
Does it work on handwriting?
Not reliably. Recognition is best on clean printed text. Check important results by eye.
Which languages work?
The languages Apple's text recognition supports on your Mac. Accuracy varies by language and scan quality.
Does it change how the pages look?
No. The page images stay as they are; a hidden text layer is added behind them.
Is OCR free?
Making a whole PDF searchable is in Pro. Copying text out of an image is free.