PDF · Make PDF Searchable
Scanned PDFs you can search and copy.
A scan is just a picture of a page. Make PDF Searchable reads it with Apple Vision and adds an invisible text layer, so you can search, select and copy while the pages look exactly as before.
One-time purchase · macOS 26 Tahoe or later, Apple silicon recommended
Text layer added to 5 pages · page 5 already had text, skipped
4. Deposit. Before the start date, the tenant pays a security deposit of £1,450, which is held in a protected scheme and returned within 10 days of the end of the tenancy.
How it works
Three steps, start to finish.
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01
Open Make PDF Searchable
Press ⌃⌥Space and type “ocr pdf”, or pick it from MightyBench’s menu bar icon.
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02
Add scanned PDFs
Drop one or more scanned or mixed PDFs. Leave Skip pages with text on, so pages that already contain real text are left alone.
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03
Press Make Searchable
A new searchable PDF for each file lands in a new dated folder in Downloads › MightyBench. The original scans stay as they were.
The details
Small things, done properly.
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Looks exactly the same
The original scan is kept and nothing is redrawn. The text layer sits invisibly underneath, so every page looks identical.
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Find it with Spotlight
With a text layer in place, ⌘F finds words inside the PDF and Spotlight can find the file by what it says.
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Select and copy text
Highlight a paragraph in a scanned contract or letter and paste it anywhere, just like a PDF that started out digital.
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Apple Vision, accurate mode
Text is recognised by Apple Vision at its most accurate setting, on your Mac, with no OCR service or upload involved.
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Mixed documents welcome
With Skip pages with text turned on, pages that already contain text are left untouched and only the scanned ones get a text layer.
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Private papers stay private
Bank statements, contracts and medical letters are read on your Mac. Nothing is sent anywhere and there’s no account.
Specs
Make PDF Searchable, at a glance.
OCR that makes scans selectable.
| Opens | PDF (scanned or mixed) |
|---|---|
| Saves as | PDF with an invisible text layer, looking exactly the same |
| Settings | Skip pages that already have text |
| Needs | Nothing extra |
| Originals | Never changed |
| Saved to | Downloads › MightyBench › date Make PDF Searchable |
FAQ
Questions about Make PDF Searchable
Anything else? Email support@mightybench.com and a person will reply.
How do I make a scanned PDF searchable on a Mac?
Open Make PDF Searchable, drop the scanned PDF in and press Make Searchable. A new PDF with an invisible text layer lands in a new dated folder in Downloads › MightyBench.
Will OCR change how my PDF looks?
No. The original page images are kept and nothing is redrawn. The recognised text sits invisibly underneath them.
What happens to pages that already have text?
With Skip pages with text turned on, they’re left exactly as they are. Only scanned pages get the new text layer, so mixed documents are fine.
How is this different from Extract Text?
Extract Text gives you the words as plain text to copy. Make PDF Searchable keeps the PDF and adds a hidden text layer, so the document itself becomes searchable.
Is my PDF uploaded for OCR?
No. Text recognition uses Apple Vision on your Mac. Nothing is uploaded and there’s no account.
Plus forty-eight other tools.
Make PDF Searchable comes with every other MightyBench tool: video, audio, images, PDFs and on-device AI in one native Mac app. Pay $39 once for one Mac, with every MightyBench 1.x update included.
One-time purchase · macOS 26 Tahoe or later, Apple silicon recommended