Scan & OCR — Extract Text from Any Document
Use OCR to extract text from scanned documents, photos and images. Supports 100+ languages. Free tool — secure server-side processing, instant text output.
Drop your image or PDF here
or click to browse from your computer • Max 50 MB
Supported: IMAGE/*,PDF
What this tool does
When to use it
How to use
Upload your file
Adjust settings if needed
Download your result
Free Online OCR Scanner — Transform Scans into Editable Text
Unlock the data trapped in your images and scanned PDFs. Our **professional-grade OCR (Optical Character Recognition)** engine converts static documents into searchable, editable text with industry-leading accuracy. Whether it's a printed contract, a handwritten note, or a complex invoice, Plainscan's secure cloud processing delivers pixel-perfect text extraction in seconds. No software installation required.
100+ Languages Supported
From English and Spanish to Chinese and Arabic, our global OCR engine recognizes characters across hundreds of languages and scripts with extreme precision.
Secure & Private Processing
Your sensitive documents are protected with TLS 1.3 encryption and processed on secure UK-based servers. All files are automatically purged after 24 hours.
High-Resolution AI Engine
Our advanced AI handles low-quality scans, skewed images, and complex layouts, ensuring you get clean, formatted text every time you process a document.
How to Extract Text from Images Online
Upload Scan
Select your scanned PDF, JPG, or PNG file and drop it into our secure cloud workspace.
Set Language
Choose the primary language of your document to optimize recognition accuracy.
Extract Text
Our AI engine analyzes the visual patterns and converts them into machine-readable text.
Save & Edit
Copy the extracted text directly or download it as a .txt or .docx file for immediate editing.
Professional OCR Use Cases
See how businesses and professionals use Plainscan OCR to digitize their workflows.
Legal Audits
Digitize printed court filings and contracts to enable keyword searching and fast citation extraction.
Expense Tracking
Extract line items and totals from scanned receipts and invoices for automated accounting.
Academic Research
Turn physical library books and handwritten notes into searchable digital archives for your thesis.
Old Archives
Preserve legacy documents by converting them into searchable PDF/A or editable Word formats.
Why Choose Plainscan OCR?
Pixel-Perfect Accuracy
Unlike basic browser-based OCR tools that run locally, Plainscan uses a multi-layered server-side engine. We combine neural network analysis with dictionary validation to ensure that even complex formatting and small fonts are recognized correctly.
Zero Footprint Security
Most "free" OCR sites monetize your data. At Plainscan, we don't store your documents. Every file is automatically and permanently deleted from our encrypted servers exactly 24 hours after processing, guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I convert a scanned PDF to a searchable PDF?
A: Yes. Our OCR tool can recognize text within a scanned document and overlay a searchable text layer, allowing you to highlight, search, and copy text within the original PDF layout.
Q: Which file formats are supported for OCR?
A: We support all common document and image formats, including PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, and WebP. For best results, ensure your image resolution is at least 300 DPI.
Q: Is it possible to extract text from handwriting?
A: Our AI engine is highly proficient at reading clear, printed handwriting. However, for extremely cursive or irregular scripts, accuracy may vary. We recommend processing a sample to test results.
Q: Is my document data stored on your servers?
A: No. We prioritize your privacy. Files are processed in memory on secure UK servers and are automatically purged after 24 hours. You can also manually delete files from your dashboard.
Q: Does Plainscan support multi-language documents?
A: Yes. You can select multiple languages for a single document, which is perfect for processing international contracts or academic papers with citations in different scripts.
Q: Is there a limit on how many pages I can OCR?
A: Free users can process up to 10 pages per session. Pro and AI subscribers enjoy unlimited pages, batch processing, and faster priority queue access.
Supports 100+ Languages Including Arabic, Hindi & Chinese
Plainscan's OCR engine is designed for global use, supporting more than 100 languages. Accurately extract text from documents in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese, and many more.
How OCR Works — From Scanned Image to Text
Our Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology analyzes the pixels in your image to identify letters and numbers. It then reconstructs them into editable text format instantly, all within your browser.
Works on Photos, Screenshots & Scanned PDFs
Whether it's a photo taken with your phone, a screenshot from your computer, or a scanned PDF document, our tool handles all common image and document formats with high precision.