How to Fix Acrobat DC Cannot Recognize Text in a Photoshop PDF
Question details
The user is unable to run OCR or create a form from a PDF because Acrobat DC cannot detect the text, which originated from a Photoshop file placed into InDesign.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat DC
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Trying to run the OCR tool or create form fields in Acrobat Pro on a document that was originally designed in Photoshop and exported as a PDF.
- Observed behavior
- Acrobat DC reports that no text is available, and the OCR process fails or produces an error.
Before proceeding, ensure you have access to the original source files (such as the PSD or InDesign document), as fixing this OCR limitation often requires re-exporting the artwork.
Save as a Flat Image File and Run OCR
Convert the Photoshop file into a standard image format to force Acrobat's OCR engine to process the pixels correctly.
Photoshop PDFs can retain a mix of complex data that confuses Acrobat's text recognition engine. By saving the file as a strict, flattened image format like TIFF or PNG, you force the OCR tool to scan the document purely visually.
Open your original PSD document in Photoshop, go to 'File' > 'Save As', and select 'TIFF' or 'PNG' from the format dropdown menu.
Launch Acrobat Pro, go to 'File' > 'Open', and select the TIFF or PNG file you just saved.
Navigate to the 'Tools' menu, select 'Recognize Text' (or 'Scan & OCR'), and run the tool to extract the text from the image.
Create Text Directly in InDesign
Avoid rasterizing text by adding all textual elements in a dedicated layout application before exporting to PDF.
Easily Recognize Text in Any PDF with WPS Office
Bypass complex Photoshop and InDesign workflows by using WPS Office's built-in PDF OCR. WPS PDF can seamlessly extract and convert text from image-based PDFs and scanned documents, making document editing effortless.
- 1. Launch WPS PDF: Open WPS Office and click on the 'PDF' tab to launch the PDF editor.
- 2. Open Your Image-Based Document: Click 'Open' and select your image-based PDF or the exported image file.
- 3. Run the OCR Tool: Navigate to the 'Tools' tab and click on the 'OCR' button on the ribbon.
- 4. Extract or Convert: Select whether to extract the text directly to a plain document or convert the entire file into an editable PDF.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Acrobat treat my Photoshop PDF as an image without text?
Photoshop is primarily an image processor, not a page layout tool. When saving a document with text as a PDF in Photoshop, it often rasterizes the text layers into pixels, meaning PDF readers can no longer detect the underlying font data.
How can I ensure text in my PDF remains editable and recognizable?
To keep text fully editable and recognizable, always create and format your text using a dedicated layout application like InDesign, Illustrator, or a word processor, rather than a raster image editor like Photoshop.
What should I do if OCR still fails on my PDF?
If Acrobat's OCR fails on a complex PDF, try exporting the original file as a flat, high-resolution image format (like PNG-24 or TIFF). Open this flat image in your PDF editor and run the OCR tool again, as flattened images are generally easier for OCR engines to process.
