# OCR PDF for government offices

_Updated July 2026 · Arthize · https://arthize.com/for/government/ocr-pdf_

Arthize lets public-sector teams OCR a scanned PDF in a private workspace — free, with no watermark. OCR adds a searchable text layer to a scanned PDF, turning a picture of text into words you can select, search, copy and convert.

## Why government offices OCR a scanned PDF

A records officer redacts personal identifiers from a document before a public-records release, converts it to PDF/A for the archive, and merges the case file into a single record.

**Built for case files.** Whether it's case files, public records, forms, Arthize's ocr pdf keeps the work inside your private workspace. Public records contain personal data that must be redacted before release, and files must be handled on trusted infrastructure.

## What matters when you OCR a scanned PDF

OCR adds an invisible, selectable text layer over the scanned image.

Without OCR, a scanned PDF is just a picture and can't be searched.

Running OCR first is what makes a scan convert cleanly to Word or Excel.

## How to OCR a scanned PDF

1. **Open the OCR tool** — Sign in and open the OCR tool.
2. **Add your scan** — Upload the scanned or image-only PDF.
3. **Run OCR** — Arthize recognises the text and adds it as an invisible, selectable layer.
4. **Download** — Get a searchable PDF whose text you can copy and convert.

## FAQ

### How do government offices OCR a scanned PDF for free?

OCR adds a searchable text layer to a scanned PDF, turning a picture of text into words you can select, search, copy and convert. On Arthize it's free with no watermark, and the file is deleted after the job — which is why public-sector teams can use it for case files without a confidentiality risk.

### Is it private to OCR a scanned PDF sensitive case files?

Yes. Public records contain personal data that must be redacted before release, and files must be handled on trusted infrastructure. Files are processed inside your private Arthize workspace and deleted after the job.

### How do I make a scanned PDF searchable?

OCR adds a searchable text layer to a scanned PDF, turning a picture of text into words you can select, search, copy and convert. On Arthize it's free with no watermark and processed privately.

### What is OCR and why does my scan need it?

OCR adds a searchable text layer to a scanned PDF, turning a picture of text into words you can select, search, copy and convert. On Arthize it's free with no watermark and processed privately.