File Format & Compatibility

How to Fix Encoding Errors and Unreadable Characters in Scanned Documents

Rana Garcia Oct 23, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to fix an issue where scanned documents display as unreadable characters, boxes, or trigger an encoding dialog when opened.

How to Fix Encoding Errors and Unreadable Characters in Scanned Documents

Product: Word Processor
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Opening a recently scanned file directly in a word processing program to view or edit its contents.
Observed behavior: Instead of showing the scanned content, the application displays an encoding dialog, formatting boxes, or random, unreadable gibberish characters.

Before you start

Check the file extension of your scanned document (e.g., .jpg, .png, .pdf, or .docx) to confirm whether it was saved as an image file or an actual document format before attempting to open it in a word processor.

Solution 1Recommended

Insert the Scanned Image as a Picture

If your scanner saved the file as an image (such as JPG or PNG), word processors cannot open it directly as editable text. You must insert it into a blank document.

Word processing software interprets direct openings of image formats as raw text data, which results in the display of random characters or encoding dialogs.

Create a new document

Launch your word processing program and open a blank document.

Navigate to the Insert tab

Go to the 'Insert' tab on the top ribbon and select 'Picture' or 'Pictures'.

Select your scanned file

Browse to the location where your scan is saved, select the image file, and click 'Insert' to place it onto the document page.

Non-Editable Text: Inserting the scan as a picture allows you to view the document perfectly, but you will not be able to highlight or edit the text directly.

Solution 2

Extract Editable Text Using OCR

If you need to edit the text inside the scanned document, you must use an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tool to convert the image into an editable DOCX format.

Solution 3

Save or Export the Scan as a PDF

If you only need to view, print, or share the scanned document exactly as it looks without editing, configure your scanner to save it as a PDF.

WPS Office Built-in OCR

Easily Convert Scans to Editable Text with WPS Office

WPS Office includes powerful, built-in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tools that instantly convert your scanned images and PDFs into fully editable Word documents, eliminating encoding errors and saving you from manually typing out text.

1. Open WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and create a new blank document in WPS Writer.
2. Insert the Scanned Image: Navigate to the 'Insert' tab, click 'Picture', and select your scanned file.
3. Activate the OCR Tool: Click on the inserted image to reveal the Picture Tools menu, then select the 'Picture to Text' (OCR) option.
4. Convert and Save: Choose the conversion type, review the extracted text, and save the result seamlessly as a DOCX file.

Instantly extract editable text from scanned images and PDFsHigh-accuracy OCR technology preserves your original document layoutFully compatible with Microsoft Word formats like DOCX and DOCLightweight, fast, and free to download

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I see squares and strange symbols when I open my scanned file?

This happens when you force a text-editing program (like Word or Notepad) to open a binary image file, such as a JPG. The program attempts to translate the raw image pixels into text characters, which results in a page full of unreadable symbols and formatting boxes.

Can Microsoft Word directly convert my scanned image into text?

Word cannot open image files directly as text. However, if you have a scanned PDF, newer versions of Word can attempt to convert the PDF into an editable document. For raw image files (like JPG), you need to use dedicated OCR software to extract the text.

How do I make sure my scanner saves files as documents instead of images?

You need to adjust your scanner's software settings on your computer. Before initiating a scan, look for the 'Output Profile', 'Save As', or 'Format' settings, and choose Document/PDF instead of Photo/JPG. Some advanced scanning software also offers an 'OCR' or 'Searchable PDF' output option.

Document & File Issues