How to OCR a PDF?
Wondering how to OCR a PDF and extract text from a scanned document? Thankfully, there’s a simple method to recognize text in your PDF files on the Windows PC.
Whether you're working with a form, an old book scan, or any other image-based document, getting editable and searchable content doesn’t have to be complicated.
In this guide, we’ll show you an easy step-by-step process using a free PDF OCR tool to get the job done quickly and efficiently.
What is PDF OCR?
OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition. It is a technology that converts different types of files, such as scanned paper documents, PDFs, or images captured by a camera, into editable text.
How it works:
- The algorithm identifies areas containing text.
- The content is broken down into individual characters or words.
- Each character or word is matched against a database of known patterns or processed using machine learning models.
- The recognized text is refined, and errors are corrected using dictionaries or linguistic rules.
How to OCR a PDF?
PDF Candy Desktop is a versatile free PDF software designed to handle documents in various ways, such as converting, editing, and more. One of its key features is OCR, which allows you to extract text from scanned PDF documents or images.
How to turn scanned PDF into text with PDF Candy Desktop
- Download the free PDF OCR software from the official website. Launch the program after installation.
- On the main screen, click the "OCR" tool and select the document from your computer.
- Choose the language of the text in the PDF. This helps improve the accuracy of the recognition.
- Set the desired output format (DOC, DOCX, ODT, or RTF).
- Hit the "Convert" button. Once the process is complete, the software will automatically save the new file.
Why you might need to OCR a PDF?
| Application | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Document Digitization | Converts printed or handwritten documents into digital formats for easy editing and archiving. | Digitizing books, historical records, and scanned forms. |
| Data Entry Automation | Automatically extracts information from structured or semi-structured documents. | Processing invoices, receipts, tax forms, or bank statements for accounting software. |
| Accessibility | Makes printed or written text accessible for visually impaired users. | Converting textbooks to audio formats or braille for assistive technologies. |
| Search Engine Integration | Enables text in images or PDFs to be indexed and searched. | Making scanned documents searchable in libraries, archives, and enterprise systems. |
| Automated Translation | Extracts text for machine translation of foreign language documents or signs. | Translating text from street signs or restaurant menus in travel apps. |
| Education | Assists in study or language learning by extracting and digitizing text. | Converting printed study materials into editable digital formats for students. |
Tips for the best results
- Ensure your PDF is a high-resolution scan (ideally 300 DPI or higher). The clearer and sharper the image, the more accurate the OCR will be.
- If your document has multiple languages, choose the one that most of the text is written in.
- If your scanned PDF contains noise (e.g., smudges, marks, or other imperfections), clean it up using editing tools before applying OCR.
- Make sure that the text on the page is straight and not skewed. If your document is scanned at an angle, rotate it.
- Cropping unnecessary margins can also help OCR focus on the text area and avoid irrelevant parts of the image.
- Select the output format that works best for your needs, for example, an editable Word document to preserve both text and formatting.
Conclusion
With the power of PDF OCR, you can easily transform image-based documents into editable text. This makes it simpler to extract, edit, or search through your files.
The method we’ve covered is a fast, reliable solution for those who need to quickly convert PDFs without installing any additional PDF software. Start using this PDF program today and make your PDFs more functional and accessible!
Expert Tech Writer
