FileGizmo glossary
OCR
OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition. It is the process of analyzing an image of a page, recognizing the shapes as letters and numbers, and producing real text you can search, select, and copy. Without OCR, a scanned document is just a picture of words that a computer cannot read.
Why OCR matters
A scanned page looks like text to you, but to a computer it is a flat image. You cannot search it, you cannot copy a line out of it, and a screen reader cannot voice it. OCR bridges that gap by recognizing the characters and attaching them as a real, selectable text layer.
That single step turns a stack of scans into documents you can search, quote, and reflow. It is also what makes a scanned PDF accessible to people who rely on assistive technology.
How to make a scan searchable
- Open the OCR tool.
- Add the scanned PDF or image.
- Let it recognize the text on your device, then work with the searchable result.
Because the recognition happens locally, sensitive scans like IDs and medical records stay on your machine the whole time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a scan and OCR?
A scan is a photo of a page, so the text inside it cannot be selected or searched. OCR reads that image and adds a real text layer, turning the picture of words into words a computer understands.
Is OCR always accurate?
Accuracy is high on clean, printed text and lower on handwriting, faint scans, unusual fonts, or skewed pages. Always proofread OCR output before relying on it, especially for numbers and names.
Can I run OCR without uploading my document?
Yes. FileGizmo runs OCR in your browser, so a scanned contract or statement is read on your own device and never sent to a server for processing.