Scan.Plus uses text recognition (OCR) to read text from your scanned pages. This powers in-app features like document search, smart naming, and AI tools - it does not make PDFs directly editable or add a selectable text layer to your exported files.
There are two separate OCR processes in Scan.Plus, which work differently:
Local OCR (automatic, background)
Local OCR runs automatically on your device during the scanning and saving workflow. You don't need to do anything to trigger it.
It runs at two points:
- While scanning the first page - OCR reads the page content to suggest a document name automatically (smart naming).
- When you save the document - OCR runs across all pages so the document's text content becomes searchable within the app.
What this means for you:
- You can search for documents in Scan.Plus by their text content, not just their filename.
- The extracted text is stored with your document's metadata and can also be used by AI features (for example, as context for the AI Assistant).
- This process runs on-device. Your document pages are not sent to a server for this type of OCR.
- The extracted text is used internally by the app. It does not appear as a selectable or visible text layer in exported PDFs - exported files are image-based.
- There is no manual "Run OCR" or "Re-scan text" button for already saved documents.
Cloud OCR - Image to Text (manual, interactive)
The second type of OCR is triggered manually during the scanning flow and gives you a result you can read, copy, and use directly.
How to use it:
- Scan your document.
- While in the scanning flow, tap Content.
- Tap Image to Text.
- Scan.Plus uploads the page to its processing servers and returns the extracted text.
- You can read, copy, and share the result.
What this means for you:
- Unlike local OCR, you can see and interact with the text output.
- This feature requires an internet connection, as processing happens in the cloud.
- Image to Text is available during the active scanning flow - it is not accessible from already-saved documents in History.
Text recognition language
You can set your preferred OCR language in the app's Settings > Document Settings > Text Recognition Language. Supported languages are English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Japanese.
Choosing the correct language for your document will improve recognition accuracy.
Plan availability
Automatic local OCR (search and smart naming) runs as part of the standard scan and save flow and is not restricted to a paid plan.
Cloud OCR (Image to Text) and AI-related features may be subject to credits or plan rules - check the app for current availability on your plan.
What OCR does not do
- It does not make exported PDFs text-searchable or add selectable text to PDF exports. Exported files are image-based.
- It does not replace the need for a clean, well-lit scan - poor image quality will reduce recognition accuracy.
- There is no manual OCR trigger for documents already saved in your History.