How to Change OCR Text Font and Replace Text in Scanned PDFs
Question details
The user wants to replace blurred text in a scanned schematic with a cleaner font after OCR, as well as erase and replace text that the OCR process failed to recognize.
- Product
- PDF Editor
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Editing recognized text, changing fonts, and replacing unreadable image text in a scanned PDF schematic after running Optical Character Recognition.
- Observed behavior
- The OCR output recognizes some text but leaves the original blurred artwork intact for unrecognized sections. The user needs a method to clean up the fonts and manually replace the unreadable text.
Always save a backup copy of your scanned PDF before making extensive edits, as modifying OCR content or covering up image elements can alter the document's original layout.
Edit Recognized OCR Text Directly
Use your PDF editor's text editing tools to modify the text that was successfully recognized by the OCR process, allowing you to choose cleaner fonts and adjust sizes.
When OCR correctly processes text, it converts the image pixels into editable characters. You can interact with these characters just like a standard text document.
Open your scanned PDF and select the 'Edit PDF' or 'Edit Text' tool from the main navigation toolbar.
Click directly on the text area in the schematic that you wish to modify. A bounding box should appear around the editable text.
Highlight the blurred or poorly formatted text. Use the formatting panel that appears to change the font style, font size, and color to a cleaner, more readable option.
Cover Unrecognized Text and Add New Text Boxes
For text that OCR missed or complex diagram elements that cannot be edited directly, hide the original artwork and insert new text manually.
Easily Extract and Replace Text in Scanned PDFs with WPS PDF
WPS Office provides advanced OCR technology to instantly convert scanned documents and images into editable text. You can easily modify fonts, erase original blurred graphics, and insert clean text directly within WPS PDF.
- 1. Open your scanned document: Launch WPS Office and open your scanned PDF.
- 2. Run OCR: Navigate to the 'Tools' tab and click on 'OCR'. Follow the prompts to convert the scanned image into an editable document.
- 3. Edit the recognized text: Go to the 'Edit' tab, click 'Edit Text', and select the recognized words to change their font style or size.
- 4. Replace unreadable text: Use 'Insert' > 'Shapes' to place a white box over any unreadable text in the schematic, then use 'Insert' > 'Text Box' to type clean, new text over it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did OCR fail to recognize some text in my scanned schematic?
OCR often struggles with text that is heavily blurred, handwritten, crossed by diagram lines, or written in highly stylized fonts. In these cases, manual replacement using shapes and text boxes is required.
Will changing the font size in an OCR document mess up the formatting?
Yes, replacing text with a different font or size can cause text boxes to expand or shift, potentially altering the layout of surrounding elements. This is why it is highly recommended to save a backup copy before starting your edits.
How do I ensure the new font matches the original PDF text?
When you select the recognized text, your PDF editor will attempt to display the closest matching system font. You can manually adjust the font family in the text properties panel to standard fonts like Arial or Times New Roman to maintain a consistent, clean look.
