How to Fix Missing Scanned Documents or OCR Options in Acrobat DC
Question details
The user is unable to locate the Scanned Documents or text recognition (OCR) options when attempting to edit a scanned PDF.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat DC
- Device & OS
- Windows 10
- Scenario
- Attempting to edit a scanned PDF file and convert the image into searchable or editable text.
- Observed behavior
- The Scanned Documents or OCR text-recognition option is missing from the Edit PDF tool interface.
Verify that you have an active subscription or license for Acrobat Standard or Pro, as the free Acrobat Reader version does not include optical character recognition (OCR) features.
Verify Acrobat Edition and Use the Scan & OCR Tool
Confirm you are using an OCR-capable version of Acrobat and access the recognition tool directly from the main tools menu.
Advanced editing and OCR capabilities are restricted to Acrobat Standard and Acrobat Pro. If you open a scanned document in Acrobat Reader, the software will not provide the option to recognize text.
Click on 'Help' in the top menu bar and select 'About Adobe Acrobat' to confirm your installed edition is Standard or Pro.
Click the 'Tools' tab located in the top-left corner of the Acrobat interface.
Scroll down to find the 'Scan & OCR' tool and click 'Open' to launch the text recognition features.
Click 'Recognize Text' in the secondary toolbar, select 'In This File', and click the 'Recognize Text' button to process your scanned image.
Update or Repair the Acrobat Installation
If you are using the correct Acrobat edition but the OCR tool remains missing, updating or repairing the software can resolve corrupted application files.
Easily Recognize Text in Scanned PDFs with WPS Office
If you are struggling with missing OCR features in your current PDF software, WPS Office provides a powerful, built-in OCR tool to accurately extract and edit text from scanned documents in just a few clicks.
- 1. Open your PDF: Launch WPS Office and open your scanned PDF document.
- 2. Access the OCR Tool: Navigate to the 'Tools' tab on the top ribbon and select the 'OCR' button.
- 3. Select Extraction Mode: Choose whether you want to extract the text to a plain text file or convert the document into a fully editable Word document.
- 4. Start Recognition: Click 'Start' to let WPS Office process the image and accurately recognize the text.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Edit PDF tool missing OCR options for my document?
This commonly happens if you are using the free Acrobat Reader instead of a premium version, or if the PDF has security restrictions that prevent content extraction and editing.
How do I know if my PDF is a scanned image or an interactive text document?
Try selecting the text with your cursor. If individual words highlight, it is an interactive document. If the cursor treats the entire page like a single picture, it is a scanned image.
Can I perform OCR on a PDF without purchasing Adobe Acrobat Pro?
Yes, you can use comprehensive alternative software like WPS Office, which includes dedicated OCR tools allowing you to recognize and extract text from scanned PDFs easily.
