How to Convert Hindi Image PDFs to Text (Acrobat OCR Troubleshooting)
Question details
The user needs to convert an image-based PDF containing Hindi text into selectable, editable text, but cannot find Hindi in the OCR language list.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Trying to perform Optical Character Recognition (OCR) on an image PDF containing Hindi script to extract the text.
- Observed behavior
- Hindi is missing from the "Recognize Text" language dropdown options in Adobe Acrobat, preventing the text conversion.
Before proceeding, ensure your image PDF is clear and legible, as low-resolution or blurry scans can significantly decrease the accuracy of Hindi OCR conversion.
Check for Adobe Acrobat OCR Engine Updates
Verify if a newer version or update of Acrobat has added support for Hindi OCR to your current installation.
Acrobat OCR supports only the languages included in its installed OCR engine. Depending on your version, Hindi might be missing but could be available in newer patches.
Open Adobe Acrobat, click on the 'Help' menu at the top, and select 'Check for Updates'.
Once updated, navigate to the 'Tools' tab and select 'Scan & OCR'.
Click 'Recognize Text' > 'In This File' and open the language dropdown to see if Hindi has been added.
Use a Specialized Third-Party OCR Service for Hindi
Since Acrobat natively lacks Hindi OCR support in many versions, use a dedicated cloud service or alternative OCR application that specializes in complex scripts.
Extract Text from Scanned PDFs with WPS Office
WPS Office features a robust built-in OCR tool within its PDF editor, allowing you to quickly extract text from scanned documents and images. Try WPS PDF for seamless text extraction and broad format compatibility.
- 1. Open your PDF: Launch WPS Office and open your image-based PDF file in the WPS PDF workspace.
- 2. Access the OCR Tool: Navigate to the 'Tools' tab on the top ribbon and select 'OCR' from the menu.
- 3. Select Text to Extract: Choose to OCR the entire document or highlight a specific image area you wish to convert.
- 4. Convert and Save: Click 'Extract Text', review the output in the prompt window, and save the result as a Word document or plain text file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Hindi missing from the Adobe Acrobat OCR language list?
Acrobat's OCR feature only supports the languages integrated into its native engine. Depending on your software version and region, Hindi may not be officially supported, which is why it does not appear in the dropdown menu.
Can I use Google Drive to OCR Hindi PDFs?
Yes, Google Drive has robust OCR capabilities that support Hindi. Simply upload your image PDF to Google Drive, right-click the file, and select 'Open with Google Docs' to automatically extract the text.
Does image quality affect Hindi text recognition?
Absolutely. Low resolution, poor lighting, or blurry scans can cause the OCR software to misinterpret complex Hindi characters, leading to typos, missing words, and inaccurate text extraction.
