01
Find words in scanned pages
Recognize text that was stored as an image so names, phrases, and reference numbers become searchable.
PDF OCR for macOS
Turn scanned PDFs into searchable files on your Mac
OwlOCR recognizes text in scanned and image-based PDFs. Copy what you need from the current page, or use Pro for OCR All and batch jobs, then export a PDF with searchable invisible text over the original visible pages.
Requires macOS 13.3+. Core is free. Direct-download Pro is $19.99/year or $49.99 lifetime; purchase in app.
Why OwlOCR
A practical PDF OCR workflow, without an upload step
Move from a scanned page to useful text on the same Mac where the document already lives.
02
Preserve the page you received
Searchable PDF export adds an invisible text layer while retaining the original visible PDF pages.
03
Keep recognition on your Mac
Apple Vision OCR processing happens on-device. Pro also offers an optional local OCR AI path for difficult source material.
Workflow
From scanned PDF to searchable PDF in three steps
Start with one page for a quick lookup or move to a complete-document workflow when the job is larger.
- 1
Open the PDF
Choose a scanned or image-based PDF and move to the page whose text you need.
- 2
Run OCR on the right scope
Use Core for the current page. Pro adds OCR All and batch processing when you need to work through more pages or files.
- 3
Copy or export
Copy recognized text for immediate use, or export the Apple Vision result as a searchable PDF with an invisible text layer.
Core and Pro
Choose the OCR path that matches the document
Clean scans and difficult layouts do not always need the same recognition workflow.
Apple Vision for searchable export
The built-in Apple Vision engine runs on-device and provides the positioned text used for searchable PDF export.
Local OCR AI for a second approach
Pro can run an optional local OCR AI model for hard scans. Use Apple Vision when your goal is the searchable PDF text layer.
Core for a page, Pro for a collection
The free Core tier suits current-page OCR. Pro adds OCR All, batch workflows, the CLI, and multi-screenshot capture for 3 or more captures.
OwlOCR Core
Free
A fit for single screenshots and OCR on the current page, using on-device Apple Vision recognition.
Download Core free →OwlOCR Pro
$19.99/year or $49.99 lifetime
Direct-download Pro adds OCR All, batch workflows, optional local OCR AI, the CLI, and multi-screenshot capture for 3 or more captures. Purchase in app.
Review Pro pricing →FAQ
Questions about pdf ocr for macos
Can OwlOCR make a scanned PDF searchable on a Mac?
Yes. Run Apple Vision OCR, then export a searchable PDF. OwlOCR adds recognized text as an invisible layer while retaining the original visible pages.
Does searchable PDF export change the way the pages look?
The export retains the original visible PDF pages. The recognized text is added as an invisible searchable layer.
Can I OCR every page in a PDF?
Core is suitable for OCR on the current page. Pro adds OCR All and batch workflows for multi-page or multi-file jobs.
Does PDF OCR upload my document?
Apple Vision OCR processing happens on-device. The optional Pro OCR AI model also runs locally on your Mac.
Which macOS version does OwlOCR require?
OwlOCR requires macOS 13.3 or newer.
How much does OwlOCR Pro cost?
Direct-download Pro is $19.99 per year or $49.99 for a lifetime license. Purchase Pro in the app.
Make the next scanned PDF searchable
Download OwlOCR Core for free and try the current-page workflow. Upgrade in the app when OCR All or batch processing earns a place in your routine.