# Search DjVu files and recognize scanned text

> Fix missing DjVu search results, run on-device OCR, copy text from scans, and export a searchable PDF on Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

Source: https://niraqua.com/djvu/search-djvu/

A DjVu page can display readable words without containing searchable text. Search needs embedded text or an OCR result. No matches can also mean recognition errors, a different spelling, or an incomplete text layer.

## Check the document

1. Open the file in [Niraqua DjVu](https://niraqua.com/djvu/) and try to select a word.
2. Search for a short, clearly printed word. Try another page and check the spelling.
3. If the page has no usable text, run text recognition.

## Recognize text

On Mac, choose **View > Text Recognition...**. On iPad, use **Text Recognition** in the toolbar; on iPhone, open it from the **…** menu. Choose the document language, select a quality, and start.

Recognition runs on your device. Language support differs between Fast and Accurate modes; see [text recognition options](https://niraqua.com/djvu/help/text-recognition/). For an incorrect result, check the selected language and scan quality before running recognition again.

## Copy text or create a searchable PDF

After recognition, search again or select and copy text. Compare quotations, names, and numbers with the page image. The app does not rewrite the original DjVu.

To share searchable text in a PDF, enable OCR in the PDF export options and choose the language. Recognition can run during export, so a separate run is optional. See [convert DjVu to PDF](https://niraqua.com/djvu/djvu-to-pdf/).

If the file itself will not open, use [troubleshooting](https://niraqua.com/djvu/help/troubleshooting/) instead.