How do I OCR a scanned document on iPhone?
Scan the page, straighten it, then run OCR — PDF Scanner uses Apple's on-device text recognition, so no image is uploaded and it works with no connection. It supports auto-detect plus Latin, Korean, Chinese (Simplified) and Japanese scripts. Accuracy is strong on clean printed type and genuinely unreliable on handwriting, glossy laminated surfaces and text curving into a book's gutter, so proofread anything important.
The short version
- OCR in PDF Scanner runs on the iPhone using Apple's built-in text recognition; the image is not uploaded to a server.
- Supported scripts are auto-detect, Latin, Korean, Chinese (Simplified) and Japanese.
- Because recognition is local, OCR works with no network connection.
- Recognition quality depends on capture quality — a straightened, evenly lit page reads far better than a skewed, shadowed one.
- Handwriting, glossy laminates and curved book gutters are the weakest cases for OCR.
- Additional OCR language packs are part of what a purchase unlocks; PDF and JPG export stay free and watermark-free.
Step by step
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Capture the page as flat and square as you can
OCR reads shapes. A page shot at an angle stretches the letters, so straight-on capture on a contrasting surface improves recognition before you touch any setting.
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Straighten with perspective fix
Squaring the page puts the text lines horizontal, which is what recognition expects. Rotate first if the page went in sideways.
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Raise contrast until the type is solid black
Faint or grey type is the most common cause of dropped characters. Push contrast until the strokes are crisp, then stop before the paper texture turns to speckle.
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Choose the script or leave it on auto-detect
Auto-detect handles most pages. Selecting Latin, Korean, Chinese (Simplified) or Japanese explicitly helps on a page where two scripts sit side by side and one is dominant.
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Run OCR and proofread
Read the output against the page, paying particular attention to digits, punctuation and anything near a fold, stain or shadow.
Frequently asked
- Which languages does the OCR support?
- Auto-detect, Latin, Korean, Chinese (Simplified) and Japanese. That is the full list — other scripts are not supported, so check yours is covered before relying on the feature.
- Does OCR work on handwriting?
- Not reliably. Recognition is built for printed type. Neat block printing sometimes comes through; cursive, cramped or rushed writing usually does not. The scanned image is always faithful — it is the extracted text that is uncertain.
- Why did OCR miss part of my page?
- Usually one of four things — the page was skewed, a shadow fell across that area, the print was too faint, or the paper curved away from the camera as it does near a book's spine. Rescanning with better light fixes more than editing does.
- Does running OCR upload my document?
- No. Recognition happens on the iPhone using Apple's built-in frameworks, which is why it still works in airplane mode.
- Does OCR cost money?
- Scanning and exporting are free. Additional OCR language packs are among the extras a subscription or one-time purchase unlocks.
Last updated 2026-07-28