OCR
Make a scanned PDF searchable, without uploading it.
A scan is just a picture of a page. OCR reads the words in it, so you can search a scanned statement for one supplier, then highlight or redact what you find. Redpen does it on your computer, with no internet needed.
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT
Account ending 4821 · March 1 to 31, 2026
Date · DescriptionAmount
03/02 HARBOR SUPPLY CO412.18
03/05 PAYROLL DEPOSIT6,240.00
03/09 CITY WATER UTILITY88.40
03/14 HARBOR SUPPLY CO1,206.00
03/21 TRANSFER TO SAVINGS2,000.00
03/28 HARBOR SUPPLY CO96.75
Opening balance8,914.62
Deposits6,240.00
Withdrawals3,803.33
Closing balance11,351.29
Findharbor supply3 results
OCR: text layer added
D-01.1What it doesOffice and Pro
What it does.
- Runs offline
- OCR is built in and runs on your computer. Nothing is sent anywhere, so confidential scans stay private.
- Search what you scanned
- After OCR, find any word in a scanned document the same way you would in any other PDF.
- Highlight and redact the text
- Highlight lines in a scan, redact by drawing boxes (Office and Pro), or search for names and numbers and redact the matches (Pro).
- Works on drawings too
- OCR also reads outlined text on drawings, so search and Autoscale's dimension reading work on scanned sets.
D-01.2How it goes
Making a scan searchable.
- 01Open the scan
Bank statements, receipts, signed contracts: any scanned PDF, from a phone app, an office copier or an old archive.
- 02Run OCR
Press Ctrl+Shift+O. Redpen adds a searchable text layer.
- 03Search and use it
Search, highlight or redact the text, then save.
D-01.3Also
OCR on your own computer.
- No internet connection needed
- Scanned drawings and documents
- Search results can be marked up or redacted
- Office and Pro
D-01.4Limits
What it does not do.
- OCR reads the picture of a page. Poor scans give poor text, so spot-check anything you rely on.
- Redaction only removes text that has been found. Check a redacted copy before you send it.
D-01.5Questions
OCR scanned PDFs: short answers.
Is my scan uploaded for OCR?
No. OCR comes with Redpen and works offline. Your document never leaves your computer.
What does OCR do to my PDF?
It reads the words in the scanned image and adds them as a searchable text layer, so you can find, highlight and redact them.
Is OCR free?
OCR is part of Office and Pro.
Come on in. The viewer is free.
Download Redpen and open your first PDF in a minute. The free app needs no account. Every new account can try Office or Pro free for 14 days, no card.
Windows & Mac · No credit card · Your files stay on your computer