Make a scanned PDF
Turn a PDF into a scanned-style, image-only PDF. This is useful when you need a page-by-page visual representation rather than the original selectable PDF layer.
Use Make a scanned PDF
About Make a scanned PDF
Turn a PDF into a scanned-style, image-only PDF. This is useful when you need a page-by-page visual representation rather than the original selectable PDF layer.
What makes a PDF look scanned?
A scanned-style PDF represents each page as an image. That can make the document behave more like a physical scan, but it also means the original selectable text layer is not preserved in the same way.
When to choose grayscale or black and white
Grayscale keeps more visual detail; black and white can produce a simpler document appearance and sometimes smaller output. Choose based on stamps, signatures, handwriting and other details you need to retain.
Important trade-off: image-only means less searchable
Because the pages are rasterized, text may no longer be selectable. Keep the original PDF when you may need searchable text later.
Frequently asked questions
Does scan-PDF add OCR?
No. It rasterizes the pages into scan-style images. OCR is a separate task.
Will the output stay as a PDF?
Yes. The result is a new PDF containing rasterized page images.