Free Scanned PDF Translator
Translate scanned PDFs using OCR and AI translation
Our scanned PDF translator uses OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to extract text from scanned PDFs, then translates it using advanced AI. Free for documents up to 5 pages—works with both scanned and text-based PDFs.
- Languages
- 100+
- Free Pages
- 1-5
- OCR
- AI-Powered
- Price
- Free
OCR Technology
Advanced AI-powered OCR extracts text from scanned PDFs with high accuracy, even from low-quality scans.
Works with All PDFs
Handles both scanned PDFs (image-based) and text-based PDFs automatically. No need to know which type you have.
Fast & Secure
Process documents in seconds. Your files are deleted immediately after processing for maximum privacy.
Translate scanned PDF online
Upload your PDF, select languages, and extract/translate text using OCR
Click or drag PDF file here
Free for documents up to 5 pages
What is Scanned PDF Translation?
Scanned PDF translation is the process of translating PDF documents that contain images of text rather than selectable text. These scanned PDFs are created by scanning physical documents, making them image-based files that require OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to extract text before translation can occur.
Unlike text-based PDFs where text can be extracted directly, scanned PDFs require advanced OCR technology to recognize and extract text from images. Once text is extracted using OCR, it can then be translated using AI translation technology, making scanned documents accessible in multiple languages.
This technology is essential for businesses, researchers, and individuals who need to translate historical documents, scanned contracts, printed materials, or any document that exists only as an image. Scanned PDF translation bridges the gap between physical documents and digital multilingual content.
✗Text-Based PDF
Contains selectable text that can be extracted directly. Created from digital documents like Word or Google Docs. Text can be copied and translated without OCR.
✓Scanned PDF
Contains images of text created by scanning physical documents. Requires OCR to extract text before translation. Our tool automatically detects and handles both types.
Why Use Our Scanned PDF Translator?
Our scanned PDF translator offers a comprehensive solution for translating scanned documents with professional-grade OCR and translation accuracy.
Advanced OCR Technology
Uses OpenAI Vision API for state-of-the-art OCR accuracy. Extracts text from scanned PDFs with high precision, even from low-quality scans, handwritten text, and complex layouts.
Automatic Detection
Automatically detects whether your PDF is text-based or scanned. Handles both types seamlessly—no need to know which type you have. Works with mixed PDFs containing both text and scanned pages.
100+ Languages
OCR supports multiple languages, and translation supports 100+ language pairs. Auto-detect source language for convenience, or manually select any language pair for precise control.
Secure & Private
Your PDFs are processed on secure servers and immediately deleted after processing. We never store your documents or share them with third parties. Your sensitive documents stay private.
Free for Small Documents
Translate documents with up to 5 pages completely free. No credit card required, no registration needed. For larger documents, affordable Day Pass options are available for unlimited translations.
Fast Processing
Process documents in seconds. Small documents (1-5 pages) typically complete in 20-40 seconds. Larger documents may take 1-3 minutes. Processing Pass holders get priority processing.
How It Works
Our scanned PDF translator uses advanced OCR and AI translation technology. Here's how it works:
- 1
Upload your PDF file
Click to upload or drag and drop your PDF file. The tool automatically detects whether it's a text-based or scanned PDF. Documents up to 5 pages are free.
- 2
Select languages and action
Choose your source language (or select "Auto-detect") and target language. Select "Extract Text Only" to perform OCR without translation, or "Translate" to extract and translate.
- 3
OCR and translation
For scanned PDFs, OCR extracts text from each page using AI vision technology. For text-based PDFs, text is extracted directly. Then, if translation is selected, the text is translated using advanced AI.
- 4
Review and copy results
Review the extracted and translated text. Copy to clipboard or download. The tool shows which pages were processed and whether the PDF was text-based or scanned.
Translation Tips
- Higher quality scans = better OCR accuracy
- Works with both scanned and text PDFs
- Review extracted text before translating
- Use "Extract Text Only" to make PDFs searchable
Pro tip: For regular PDFs with selectable text, try our PDF Translator for faster processing without OCR.
Best Practices for Scanned PDF Translation
Follow these best practices to get the most accurate OCR and translation results:
Use High-Quality Scans
Higher resolution scans produce better OCR results. Aim for at least 300 DPI when scanning documents. Clear, well-lit scans with good contrast between text and background significantly improve OCR accuracy. Avoid blurry, skewed, or low-contrast scans.
✅ RECOMMENDED: 300+ DPI, clear text, good contrast
⚠️ AVOID: Low resolution, blurry images, poor lighting
Review Extracted Text
Always review the extracted text before translating, especially for important documents. OCR accuracy can vary based on scan quality, font type, and language. Check for missing words, character recognition errors, or formatting issues that might affect translation quality.
Check: Missing words • Character errors (0 vs O, l vs I) • Line breaks • Special characters
Specify Source Language
While auto-detect works well, manually specifying the source language can improve OCR accuracy, especially for documents with mixed languages or non-Latin scripts. For documents with multiple languages, process them separately or use the dominant language.
Tip: For Chinese, Japanese, or Arabic documents, specify the language for better OCR results
Use Extract Text for Searchability
If you only need to make a scanned PDF searchable without translation, use the "Extract Text Only" option. This performs OCR and gives you the extracted text, which you can then use to create a searchable PDF or for other purposes.
Use Case: Making scanned documents searchable • Extracting data • Creating text versions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I translate a scanned PDF?
To translate a scanned PDF, upload your PDF file, select the source language (or use auto-detect), choose your target language, and click Translate. Our scanned PDF translator uses OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to extract text from scanned PDFs, then translates the extracted text.
What is the difference between scanned PDFs and text-based PDFs?
Text-based PDFs contain selectable text that can be extracted directly. Scanned PDFs are image-based files created by scanning physical documents. They require OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to extract text before translation.
Is scanned PDF translation free?
Yes, scanned PDF translation is free for documents with 1-5 pages. For larger documents with more than 5 pages, a Day Pass ($3.99) is required. This allows unlimited translations for 24 hours.
What languages are supported for scanned PDF translation?
We support 100+ languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Russian, Korean, and many more. OCR can detect text in multiple languages, and you can translate between any supported language pair.
How accurate is OCR for scanned PDFs?
Our OCR uses advanced AI (OpenAI Vision API) for high accuracy. Accuracy depends on scan quality, image resolution, and text clarity. High-quality scans with clear text typically achieve 95%+ accuracy. Lower quality scans may require manual review.
Can I extract text from scanned PDFs without translating?
Yes, you can use the 'Extract Text Only' option to perform OCR and extract text without translation. This is useful for making scanned PDFs searchable or extracting text for other purposes.
How long does scanned PDF translation take?
Translation time depends on the number of pages and amount of text. Small documents (1-5 pages) typically process in 20-40 seconds. Larger documents may take 1-3 minutes. Processing Pass holders get priority processing.
Is my scanned PDF secure?
Yes, all PDF processing happens on secure servers. Your files are processed and immediately deleted after translation. We never store your documents or share them with third parties.