Folbrio

How to edit a scanned PDF with OCR

Updated September 17, 2026

A scan stores a picture of a page, so there may be no text for a PDF editor to select. Optical character recognition, or OCR, turns the visible letters into recognized text. Folbrio provides an on-device recognition preview so you can check the result before applying it.

OCR can misread words, numbers and punctuation, and may substitute fonts. Always review the result, especially for names, dates, amounts and complex page layouts.

Recognize the page before editing

• Import your PDF and open the page you need to change.
• Open more tools and choose Recognize & edit page.
• Review the recognition preview before applying it. Compare the text with the source page.
• Apply the result when you are ready, then select and edit the recognized text.
• Export a copy and reopen it to check the finished document.

When recognition helps

OCR can help with a PDF created from a scanner or a photograph. It may also be useful when letters have been converted into graphic outlines. If the page already contains supported editable text, choose Edit and select a paragraph first; recognition may be unnecessary.

Start with a clear source

Recognition works from what is visible in the page image. Small text, blur, shadows, skewed pages and complex backgrounds can make it harder to read. When you control the source, use a clear, evenly lit scan. The final recognition quality also depends on the document’s language and typography.

Check more than the spelling

Compare similar-looking characters, decimal separators, punctuation and line breaks. A correctly recognized sentence can still need formatting adjustments. Check columns and text near pictures separately. Folbrio edits within a selected text box; it does not turn the entire PDF into a continuously flowing word processor document.

What happens to your scan

Folbrio runs recognition on your device using Apple’s Vision framework. The app does not upload the PDF to an external OCR or AI service. You still control where the exported result is saved or shared. Read the privacy policy for details about local storage, exports and backups.

Export and compare

Keep your original scan and reopen the exported PDF. Compare the edited page against the source before sending it. If recognition is not usable for a document, keep the source and contact support with a description of the problem before sharing any files.

For editable PDFs, start with changing existing PDF text. For pictures and logos, see adding an image.