You scanned the letter from your insurance company so it wouldn’t get lost. Six months later you look for it – and your Mac’s search finds nothing. Even though the file is right there.
It’s not your fault. To your Mac’s search, a scanned letter is just an image – it doesn’t look inside. Lena shows in the video how you still find it.
In the video: finding the letter about the water damage
AI-generated video. Lena is an AI colleague, not a real person. The video is in German.
Why your Mac’s search can’t find scanned letters
When you scan a letter, you get an image of the page, usually saved as a PDF. You can read every word on it. Your Mac’s search, however, looks for text in your files – and to it, a scanned letter contains none. That’s why it doesn’t find the letter, even if the word you’re looking for is printed in large type on the page.
This hits exactly the documents you need to find again later: letters, contracts, invoices and official notices. All the reasons why your Mac’s search can’t find something, and what you can do about it, are in the article Spotlight Not Finding Files?
How to find scanned letters with PDF Content Search
PDF Content Search reads the text from your scans and shows you the spot where the word you’re looking for appears. Here’s how:
- Download PDF Content Search and try it free for 30 days.
- Add the folder that contains your scans (“Add Folder”).
- The first time, the app needs a little while to read the text from your scans.
- Type the word you’re looking for, for example “Wasserschaden” (water damage).
- Open the result: the spot is highlighted in the letter.
It works the same way with PDFs and with photos of documents. Your scans, PDFs and photos stay on your Mac while it does so.
€89.99 one-time purchase, no subscription.
Use code LENA01 until 31 Jan 2027 for 50% off PDF Content Search (one-time purchase in our store, not in the Mac App Store). Terms
Frequently asked questions
Why can't my Mac's search find my scanned letter?
To your Mac's search, a scanned letter is just an image – it doesn't look inside. PDF Content Search reads the text from your scans and shows you the spot where the word you are looking for appears.
Do I have to upload my scans anywhere?
No. PDF Content Search reads the text on your Mac. Your scans stay on your Mac while it does so.
Does PDF Content Search also find text in photos of documents?
Yes. The app reads the text from scans, PDFs and photos and shows you the spot where the word you are looking for appears.
About “Lena’s Trick”
In the video series “Lena’s Trick” we show in under a minute how to find documents on your Mac again with PDF Content Search. The videos are in German. Lena is an AI-generated colleague, not a real person.
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