Is my PDF scanned or searchable?

When to use it

This guide helps distinguish a digital PDF from a scan or mixed document before editing. Simple search and text-selection checks show whether OCR is needed. The situations below show when this guide can help you choose the right workflow and avoid unnecessary processing.

• Search cannot find a visible word or selection treats the whole page as one image.
• You need to identify pages that already contain digital text before OCR.

How it works

This guide divides the topic into three consecutive stages: test search, compare pages, choose processing. Follow them in order to understand the result and the points that require manual review.

1. 01Test searchOpen the PDF in the viewer, search for a known word and try selecting several lines with a mouse or keyboard.
2. 02Compare pagesReview thumbnails and repeat the test on different pages because digital and scanned sheets can share the same file.
3. 03Choose processingKeep digital pages without repeated OCR and recognize only pages that do not have a usable text layer.

What changes

Before starting, identify which parts of the document will change and which will remain intact. The list below describes changes in the output copy rather than hidden modifications to the source file.

• The check identifies the likely page type as digital, scanned or mixed.
• Scans can be sent to OCR while digital pages remain available for viewing or editing.
• The source file remains unchanged until you start the selected tool.

What can be lost

Some operations affect more than the visible page and can change text layers, forms, links or signatures. This list helps you decide whether the separate output copy is suitable for the next stage of your work.

• Diagnosis changes nothing by itself, but unnecessary OCR can add a duplicate text layer.
• Exporting a page as an image removes existing search, links and interactive fields.

Limitations

Limitations describe the current implementation boundary and the cases that require additional review. Check them before uploading, especially when a document is complex, protected or contains important structure.

• Selectable text does not guarantee correct reading order or character encoding.
• A mixed PDF may contain digital text on only some pages.
• Handwriting and decorative fonts require separate visual assessment.

Related tools

Related tools let you move directly from the explanation to the appropriate action. Each tool uses its own workflow and shows its specific limits before processing starts.