check before: 2026-01-01
Product:
OneDrive, SharePoint
Platform:
Android, iOS, mobile, Online, US Instances, World tenant
Status:
Change type:
New feature, Updated message, User impact
Links:
Details:
Summary:
OneDrive mobile apps on iOS and Android will enable built-in OCR to recognize text in scanned PDFs, making them editable and searchable. Rollout begins January 2026, completes by early February. The feature is default-enabled, requires no admin action, and helps improve document workflows.
Details:
Updated February 27, 2026: We have updated the content. Thank you for your patience.
[Introduction]
Turn scanned PDF files into editable, searchable text using built-in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in the OneDrive mobile app. This feature helps users reuse information, speed up document workflows, and make content easier to find.
[When this will happen:]
General Availability for Worldwide, GCC, and GCCH: Rollout begins early January 2026 (previously mid-December 2025) and is expected to complete by early February 2026 (previously late January).
Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:
Created:
2025-12-06
updated:
2026-02-28
Task Type
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Docu to Check
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MS How does it affect me
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MS Preperations
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MS Urgency
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Pictures
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summary for non-techies**
OneDrive's new mobile app feature uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to make scanned PDFs searchable, allowing users to quickly find specific text within documents, which is particularly beneficial for professionals handling large volumes of paperwork.
Direct effects for Operations**
User Experience Impact from OCR Feature
Users may experience confusion or frustration if they are not aware of the new OCR feature in OneDrive, leading to potential inefficiencies in document workflows as they may not know how to utilize the new functionality effectively.
- roles: End Users, Helpdesk Staff
- references: https://support.microsoft.com/office/how-to-use-optical-character-recognition-to-read-pdfs-in-onedrive-51c0d5fc-260f-4139-b16b-b427e91edf09
Increased Support Requests
The introduction of the OCR feature without prior preparation may lead to an increase in support requests as users encounter issues or have questions about the new functionality, overwhelming helpdesk resources.
- roles: Helpdesk Staff, IT Support Team
- references: https://support.microsoft.com/office/how-to-use-optical-character-recognition-to-read-pdfs-in-onedrive-51c0d5fc-260f-4139-b16b-b427e91edf09
Configutation Options**
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Data Protection**
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explanation for non-techies**
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** AI generated content. This information must be reviewed before use.
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change history
| Date | Property | old | new |
| 2026-02-28 | MC Messages | Updated December 16, 2025: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience.
[Introduction] Turn scanned PDF files into editable, searchable text using built-in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in the OneDrive mobile app. This feature helps users reuse information, speed up document workflows, and make content easier to find. [When this will happen:] General Availability for Worldwide, GCC, and GCCH: Rollout begins early January 2026 (previously mid-December 2025) and is expected to complete by early February 2026 (previously late January). | Updated February 27, 2026: We have updated the content. Thank you for your patience.
[Introduction] Turn scanned PDF files into editable, searchable text using built-in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in the OneDrive mobile app. This feature helps users reuse information, speed up document workflows, and make content easier to find. [When this will happen:] General Availability for Worldwide, GCC, and GCCH: Rollout begins early January 2026 (previously mid-December 2025) and is expected to complete by early February 2026 (previously late January). |
| 2026-02-28 | MC Last Updated | 12/16/2025 18:50:54 | 2026-02-27T18:14:59Z |
| 2026-02-28 | MC prepare | No action is required from admins.
Some users may see this feature before others as rollout progresses. Communicate this change to helpdesk staff to assist users with the new functionality. Update internal documentation if you provide guidance on OneDrive mobile features. Learn more: We will update this post with new documentation when it becomes available. [Compliance considerations:] No compliance considerations identified; review as appropriate for your organization. | No action is required from admins.
Some users may see this feature before others as rollout progresses. Communicate this change to helpdesk staff to assist users with the new functionality. Update internal documentation if you provide guidance on OneDrive mobile features. Learn more: How to use optical character recognition to read PDFs in OneDrive - Microsoft Support [Compliance considerations:] No compliance considerations identified; review as appropriate for your organization. https://support.microsoft.com/office/how-to-use-optical-character-recognition-to-read-pdfs-in-onedrive-51c0d5fc-260f-4139-b16b-b427e91edf09 |
| 2026-02-28 | MC Summary | OneDrive mobile apps will gain built-in OCR to make scanned PDFs editable and searchable, rolling out worldwide from early January to early February 2026. The feature is enabled by default, requires no admin action, and helps improve document workflows and content findability. | OneDrive mobile apps on iOS and Android will enable built-in OCR to recognize text in scanned PDFs, making them editable and searchable. Rollout begins January 2026, completes by early February. The feature is default-enabled, requires no admin action, and helps improve document workflows. |
| 2025-12-18 | MC MessageTagNames | New feature, User impact | Updated message, New feature, User impact |
| 2025-12-18 | MC Summary | OneDrive mobile apps will gain built-in OCR to recognize text in scanned PDFs, making them editable and searchable. Rolling out worldwide from mid-December 2025 to late January 2026, the feature is enabled by default and requires no admin action. Users activate it by long-pressing a PDF page. | OneDrive mobile apps will gain built-in OCR to make scanned PDFs editable and searchable, rolling out worldwide from early January to early February 2026. The feature is enabled by default, requires no admin action, and helps improve document workflows and content findability. |
| 2025-12-18 | MC Last Updated | 12/06/2025 01:19:44 | 2025-12-16T18:50:54Z |
| 2025-12-18 | MC Messages | [Introduction]
Turn scanned PDF files into editable, searchable text using built-in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in the OneDrive mobile app. This feature helps users reuse information, speed up document workflows, and make content easier to find. [When this will happen:] General Availability for Worldwide, GCC, and GCCH: Rollout begins mid-December 2025 and is expected to complete by late January 2026. | Updated December 16, 2025: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience.
[Introduction] Turn scanned PDF files into editable, searchable text using built-in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in the OneDrive mobile app. This feature helps users reuse information, speed up document workflows, and make content easier to find. [When this will happen:] General Availability for Worldwide, GCC, and GCCH: Rollout begins early January 2026 (previously mid-December 2025) and is expected to complete by early February 2026 (previously late January). |
| 2025-12-18 | MC Title | SharePoint: OneDrive and SharePoint – recognize text in PDFs | (Updated) SharePoint: OneDrive and SharePoint – recognize text in PDFs |
| 2025-12-18 | MC End Time | 02/26/2026 09:00:00 | 2026-03-10T09:00:00Z |
Last updated 2 weeks ago ago
