Make PDF Documents Searchable

PDF documents used online or in course materials need searchable text so assistive technologies can recognize their content. Faculty and staff can test PDFs for searchable text, use OCR or direct PDF export when needed, and request remediation assistance from Chico State support resources.

Quick Links: | Prerequisites | Instructions | Troubleshooting | 

Introduction

PDF documents published online or used in course materials at Chico State must contain searchable text rather than only scanned images to support digital accessibility requirements. Searchable text allows assistive technologies to recognize and navigate document content. You can test an existing PDF for searchable text, use available software to correct scanned PDFs, and request campus assistance when additional remediation is needed.

Prerequisites

Before checking or remediating a document, you need:

• The PDF document you want to review.
• Adobe Acrobat Pro if you need to perform Optical Character Recognition (OCR) on a scanned PDF.
• Access to the original Microsoft Word or Google Docs file, when available, if you are creating or recreating the PDF.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Check and Make PDFs Searchable

There are several ways to check whether a PDF contains searchable text and address documents that do not. Start by testing the document, then use the appropriate remediation method based on how the document was created and where it will be used.

Test a PDF for Searchable Text

To determine whether a PDF contains searchable text, do the following:

1. Open the PDF and try to select individual words by dragging across the text.
2. If individual words can be selected, the document contains recognizable text. If the entire page behaves like a single image, the document may be a scanned image.
3. Press Ctrl + F on Windows or Cmd + F on macOS.
4. Enter a word that is visibly present on the page in the Find field.
5. Check whether the PDF locates the word. If no results are returned for visible text, the document may need OCR processing.

Make a Scanned PDF Searchable with Adobe Acrobat Pro

To add searchable text to a scanned PDF with Adobe Acrobat Pro, do the following:

1. Open the scanned PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
2. Open the Scan & OCR tool.
3. Select the option to recognize text in the document.
4. Run text recognition for the appropriate pages.
5. Save the updated PDF.
6. Repeat the text selection and search tests to confirm that the document now contains searchable text.

Adobe Acrobat Pro is available through Chico State's institutional Adobe licensing for faculty and staff.

Create Searchable PDFs from Microsoft Word or Google Docs

To preserve searchable text when creating a PDF from an original document, do the following:

1. Open the original document in Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
2. In Microsoft Word, select File, then use the PDF option available through Save As or Export.
3. In Google Docs, select File, then Download, then PDF Document (.pdf).
4. Avoid using a Print to PDF workflow when an export or download option is available.
5. Open the resulting PDF and use the text selection and search tests to confirm that its text remains searchable.

Exporting directly from the original document helps preserve the document's digital text rather than converting the page into an image.

Check Course PDFs with Canvas Accessibility Tools

To identify PDFs in a Canvas course that may need accessibility remediation, do the following:

1. Open the Canvas course containing the document.
2. Open the accessibility checking tool available in the course.
3. Review the accessibility results for the PDF.
4. Follow the tool's recommendations when it identifies a PDF that does not contain recognizable or searchable text.
5. Replace the inaccessible document in Canvas after remediation, if necessary.

Request Accessibility Remediation for Public-Facing PDFs

To request assistance with a PDF that will be published on a Chico State website, do the following:

1. Prepare the PDF you want reviewed.
2. Open the Chico State Web Support Portal.
3. Submit the document to Web Services for accessibility evaluation and remediation before publishing it publicly.

Request Accessible Course Reading Materials

To request format conversion or accessibility support for textbooks or student reading materials, do the following:

1. Identify the course material that requires an accessible format.
2. Review the Accessibility Resource Center alternative media information.
3. Coordinate with the Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) for the appropriate format conversion or accommodation process.

Troubleshooting

If individual words cannot be selected and a search for visible text returns no results, the PDF is likely an image-based scan and should be processed with OCR.

If OCR makes the text searchable but the document still has accessibility issues, searchable text alone may not make the PDF fully accessible. Additional remediation may be necessary for document structure, reading order, headings, tables, images, and other content.

For public-facing documents that require additional remediation, submit a request through the Chico State Web Support Portal. For textbooks or student reading materials requiring accessible format conversion, contact the Chico State Accessibility Resource Center.