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OCR is off by default. PDF text layers are read directly; ocr=true recovers text from scanned pages and image inputs.

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Select PDF pages

Add ocr=true, pdf[start]=1, and pdf[end]=5 to the Parse request query. Page numbers are inclusive and start at 1. The end must be at least the start. For example, use the Parse upload request with the query ?extension=pdf&ocr=true&pdf[start]=1&pdf[end]=5. URL-encode bracketed parameter names when your client requires it.

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Text layers and scans

OCR runs on selected PDF pages without usable text; pages with text retain their existing extraction. It is not a general description of every chart or photograph. A scanned PDF with OCR off returns 400 PDF_IMAGES_ONLY from Parse. Standalone images return metadata without OCR. Enable ocr=true when you need the image’s text. The Scrape URL workflow uses different option names: sharedParams.parsers.pdf.ocr: "auto", startPage, and endPage. Its text outputs can fail inside HTTP 200. ZDR disables OCR where supported; see zero data retention.