Scanned PDF OCR for AI: extract text in your browser

Workflow

1. 1Upload the scanned PDF. Files2.AI processes it in your browser, so the scan never leaves your machine.
2. 2Open Customize output, pick the PDF category, and check "Enable OCR for scanned PDFs" under OCR scanned pages.
3. 3Leave the OCR merge mode on its default so recognized text only fills pages that have no usable text layer.
4. 4Process the file, skim the output for recognition mistakes, then copy it into ChatGPT or Claude with your question.

Extraction tips

• If a PDF mixes scanned and digital pages, the default merge mode keeps the original text and applies OCR only to the empty pages.
• On long scans, set a page range first to confirm recognition quality before processing the whole document.
• Low-contrast or skewed scans reduce accuracy, so spot-check names, dates, and figures before relying on them.

Frequently asked questions

Does my scanned PDF get uploaded to a server?

No. OCR runs inside your browser using a local recognition engine. File contents are not uploaded during the standard conversion flow.

How do I know whether my PDF needs OCR?

If you cannot select or search text in the original PDF, or the converted output comes back nearly empty, the file is image-based and needs OCR to produce usable text.

Will OCR overwrite text the PDF already has?

Not by default. The standard merge mode applies OCR text only to pages without a usable text layer. You can change this behavior with the OCR merge mode setting in the PDF options.

How accurate is browser-based OCR?

Clean, straight, high-contrast scans of printed text convert well. Handwriting, low resolution, and heavy noise reduce accuracy, so review the output before using it for important work.

Related guides

• PDF to ChatGPT
• Prepare documents for AI