Document Scanner

The scanner uses Tesseract.js to recognize and extract text from scanned PDFs and document images. Optical character recognition converts pixel patterns into machine-readable text, handling printed typefaces across multiple languages. All processing runs locally in your browser — no document data is sent to any server, which is important for sensitive or confidential materials. The output is copyable plain text that you can paste into any editor or document.

Use clear, high-resolution scans — 300 DPI or higher produces the best results. Straighten skewed documents before uploading, as rotation significantly reduces recognition accuracy. Good contrast between text and background is essential — faded documents or colored paper can lower quality. For handwritten text, accuracy varies considerably; printed text works significantly better. Cropping to the text area and removing borders or margins helps the engine focus on content. Multi-column layouts are processed column by column, so single-column documents produce the cleanest output. If possible, save scans as lossless PNG rather than JPEG for sharper text edges.

Digitize paper contracts, invoices, and forms into searchable text. Extract content from scanned archival documents for research or record-keeping. Convert printed meeting notes or whiteboards into editable text. Small businesses use it to process incoming paperwork without investing in dedicated scanning software. Students scan textbook pages for searchable study notes. For receipt-specific scanning with itemized extraction, use the dedicated Receipt Scanner.

Both tools use OCR, but they're optimized for different inputs. The Document Scanner is designed for structured documents — contracts, letters, forms, multi-page PDFs — where preserving layout and paragraph structure matters. The Text Scanner is better for extracting text from photos, signs, screenshots, and other non-document images. Use the one that matches your source material for the best results.