PNG to PDF

PNG images are pictures—text in them is not searchable or selectable. OCR reads the text from the image and embeds it as a hidden layer in the PDF. The result looks identical but lets you search, copy text, and index content. Use this for scanned documents, screenshots of forms, or photos of whiteboards where you need the text accessible.

High resolution and contrast work best. 300 DPI minimum for printed text; 150 DPI may suffice for large fonts. Images should be sharp, not blurry or pixelated. Black text on white backgrounds yields 95%+ accuracy. Avoid JPEG artifacts—PNG is lossless, which is perfect for OCR. If the image is noisy or low-contrast, pre-process it: increase contrast, sharpen edges, or convert to grayscale.

Yes, but this tool processes one PNG at a time. For multi-page documents, convert each PNG individually, then merge the PDFs using a PDF merge tool. Alternatively, use a batch OCR tool that accepts multiple images and outputs a single multi-page searchable PDF. This workflow is common for digitizing paper stacks: scan to PNG, OCR each page, merge.

Usually slightly larger. The PDF contains the original PNG image plus the OCR text layer. Expect 5-15% increase. If file size matters, compress the PNG before OCR (reduce resolution to 150-200 DPI for screen use, 300 DPI for archival). The searchability benefit typically outweighs the small size increase.

OCR struggles with busy backgrounds, low contrast, and ornate fonts. Plain text on solid backgrounds works best. For colored backgrounds, try converting the PNG to grayscale and increasing contrast before OCR. Decorative fonts, handwriting, and cursive text yield 60-80% accuracy—expect errors. For critical documents, use clean, typed fonts and simple layouts.

Yes. OCR makes text searchable and copy-pasteable, which helps with data entry. However, OCR alone doesn't extract structured data—you'll still see a block of text. For automatic field extraction (invoice number, total, date), use specialized document parsing tools that combine OCR with template matching or AI. Basic OCR is the first step for making scanned receipts searchable.