Question 1

Is the process of making searchable (OCR application) free and secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it is completely free to use. No registration is required, there are no hidden costs, and PDFs are generated without watermarks. For more information, visit: ilovepdf.com/en/help/security

Question 2

Are my files stored or automatically deleted after upload?

Accepted Answer

Your PDF files remain protected throughout the entire processing. They are used exclusively to create the desired output file (e.g., PDF file), and all data is always transmitted encrypted.

If you do not delete them manually, the system automatically and permanently deletes your files within a maximum of 2 hours. This eliminates any third-party access. There is no permanent storage. For more information, visit: ilovepdf.com/en/help/legal

Question 3

How to get the best recognition quality?

Accepted Answer

Ensure good scan quality: clear images, minimal shadows, aligned pages. The higher the contrast between text and background, the more accurate the results. Blurred or tilted photos can be recognized but may cause errors. The tool automatically corrects many errors but not all.

Question 4

How does OCR work on iLovePDF and what does "searchable PDF" mean?

Accepted Answer

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) identifies text in scanned documents or images and converts it into machine-readable text. iLovePDF analyzes each page image and adds an invisible text layer over it. This way, the appearance remains the same, but the content becomes searchable, copyable, and indexable.

Question 5

Which languages are supported by text recognition?

Accepted Answer

The tool recognizes text in over 70 languages, including German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and many others. Quality is especially good on clear scans with good lighting.

Question 6

Does OCR affect the quality or layout of my PDF?

Accepted Answer

No. The layout, images, and design of your PDF remain unchanged. The OCR function only adds an invisible text layer. The original maintains the identical appearance, but the content becomes fully searchable. For further questions, you can contact support anytime. ilovepdf.com/en/contact

Question 7

Why does OCR take longer than other PDF tools?

Accepted Answer

OCR is more complex than standard PDF edits, as each page is analyzed, segmented, corrected, and the text is recognized character by character. Quality assurance, language recognition, and text reconstruction increase the processing time. Despite these processes, the tool works extremely fast for OCR standards.

Question 8

Can I make a multi-page PDF fully searchable?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All pages are processed one by one and merged into a single searchable PDF. Large documents can also be fully analyzed by OCR. Premium users benefit from higher page and size limits.

Question 9

Why is my PDF larger after OCR?

Accepted Answer

Due to the additional text layer and image data optimization, the file size increases slightly. This is normal for all OCR processes. If the file becomes too large, you can compress it directly afterwards (ilovepdf.com/en/pdf_compress) without losing recognition quality.

PDF OCR Converter

Convert your scanned PDF into searchable and selectable PDF documents. Copy, extract, and edit text.

Quick Video Instructions in 4 Steps

Tutorial

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Support

Privacy & Security (LGPD and GDPR)