How to Run OCR on Multiple PDFs While Working in Adobe Acrobat
Question details
The user needs to process large PDF files with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) without blocking their ability to view or edit other documents simultaneously.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Multitasking with heavy PDF OCR processing tasks.
- Observed behavior
- Adobe Acrobat typically locks up the current session while running OCR on documents, preventing the user from working on other files at the same time.
Ensure your computer has adequate RAM and CPU resources available, as running OCR on large PDF files across multiple application windows can be highly resource-intensive.
Open a Separate Acrobat Instance via the Run Command
Since Adobe does not provide a dedicated background OCR feature, you can force Windows to open a completely independent Acrobat window to handle the OCR task.
By default, clicking on a PDF opens it in the existing Adobe Acrobat process. Using the '/n' command switch instructs Windows to launch a completely separate application instance. This prevents the OCR task running in one window from freezing your workspace in the other.
Click on the Windows icon on your taskbar or press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start menu.
Type "Run" into the search bar and press Enter, or simply press the "Windows key + R" shortcut on your keyboard.
In the Run dialog box, type "acrobat /n" (without quotes) and press Enter.
In the newly opened Acrobat window, open your large PDF file and initiate the OCR process. You can now return to your original Acrobat window to continue viewing or editing other documents seamlessly.
Use WPS Office for Fast and Accurate PDF OCR
WPS Office provides a lightweight, highly efficient PDF editor with built-in OCR capabilities, allowing you to quickly extract text from scanned documents and images without bogging down your computer's resources.
- 1. Open PDF in WPS: Launch WPS Office and open the scanned PDF document you want to process.
- 2. Access the OCR Tool: Navigate to the 'Tools' tab located at the top of the interface and click on the 'OCR' button in the toolbar.
- 3. Extract Text: Select the specific pages or areas you wish to extract, choose your preferred output format, and let WPS process the document swiftly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Adobe Acrobat support native background OCR processing?
No, Adobe Acrobat does not currently offer a dedicated background OCR feature within the same session. The application typically locks the current interface while OCR is running, requiring the separate instance workaround for multitasking.
Will running multiple OCR processes at once crash my computer?
It can cause significant slowdowns or crashes if your computer lacks sufficient RAM and processing power. OCR is very system-intensive, so it is recommended to monitor your Task Manager when attempting to run multiple processes simultaneously.
Can I use the 'acrobat /n' command on a Mac?
The 'acrobat /n' command via the Run dialog is specific to Windows operating systems. Mac users would need to use specific Terminal commands (such as the 'open -n' command) to launch multiple instances of an application.
How do I know when the OCR process is finished in the background window?
You can periodically check the separate Acrobat window. While running, it will display a progress bar. Once the progress bar disappears and the text in the document becomes selectable, the OCR process is complete.
