PaperHeroHow it works
- Choose the scanned PDF.
- Pick the document's language (German or English).
- Start the recognition - depending on the page count this takes a moment.
- Copy the recognized text or save it as a text file.
OCR a PDF: turn a scanned PDF into copyable text
To a computer, a scan is at first just a photo: the text in it cannot be selected, copied or searched. This tool's text recognition (OCR) reads your scanned PDF and hands you the text for copying and saving - in German or English, free and without a sign-up. That way you extract an invoice number, an address or whole paragraphs from the scan without retyping them.
Text recognition without an upload - and the step beyond
The text recognition runs entirely on your device; your documents are never uploaded. If you digitize letters, contracts and receipts regularly, PaperHero gives you AI-driven text recognition that also reads photos, skewed scans and difficult layouts reliably - together with automatic filing, tags and a search across all your documents.
And where does the finished PDF go?
PaperHero stores it encrypted in Germany, reads the text and finds it again when you need it. 30 days for €1, then €5.99 per month - cancel monthly.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the first start take a moment?
On first use your browser downloads the text recognition once (a few megabytes). It is cached afterwards and later runs are much faster.
How good is the recognition?
This free tool reads printed text: very usable on clean, straight scans, but handwriting, skewed photos and unusual fonts remain hard. PaperHero itself uses AI-driven text recognition instead, which reads those cases far more reliably - including photos taken straight from a phone camera.
Can the tool save the PDF itself as searchable?
The tool gives you the recognized text to copy and save. A PDF with an invisible text layer, automatic filing and search across all your documents - that is exactly what PaperHero does.