How to Use OCR on Scanned Documents with Adobe Export PDF
Question details
The user wants to confirm if Adobe Export PDF utilizes Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to process scanned documents and make them searchable or editable.
- Product
- Adobe Export PDF
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Converting a scanned PDF image into an editable format like Microsoft Word while ensuring the text is properly recognized.
- Observed behavior
- The user needs to know how OCR functions during the export process and whether the resulting text can be accurately searched and edited.
Ensure your scanned document has a sufficiently high resolution and clear text, as OCR accuracy heavily relies on the clarity and layout of the original scan.
Converting Scanned PDFs using Adobe Export PDF OCR
Adobe Export PDF automatically applies OCR by default when converting scanned documents, allowing you to easily extract editable text.
Adobe Export PDF includes a built-in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) engine. Whenever you attempt to convert a scanned PDF into an editable format like Word or Excel, the system automatically tries to recognize the text unless the feature is manually disabled.
Open Adobe Acrobat Reader or log into the Adobe Export PDF web interface, and select the scanned PDF document you want to convert.
Choose your desired output format from the export options, such as Microsoft Word (.docx) or Microsoft Excel (.xlsx).
Before exporting, make sure to select the appropriate document language in the settings. This step is crucial for accurate text recognition.
Click the 'Export' button. Since OCR is enabled by default, Adobe will process the scanned images and convert them into searchable and editable text within the new file.
Extract Text from Scanned PDFs with WPS Office OCR
WPS Office provides a highly accurate, built-in OCR feature within its PDF editor, allowing you to easily convert scanned PDFs and images into editable Word, Excel, or plain text formats without relying on online services.
- 1. Open your PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open your scanned PDF document using the integrated WPS PDF tool.
- 2. Access the OCR feature: Navigate to the 'Tools' tab on the top ribbon and click on the 'OCR' button to initiate the text recognition tool.
- 3. Configure extraction settings: Select the correct language of the document text and choose whether you want to extract the content to a Word document, Excel spreadsheet, or plain text file.
- 4. Convert and edit: Click 'Convert' or 'Extract' to process the document. Once completed, you can immediately edit the recognized text directly within WPS Office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I disable OCR in Adobe Export PDF if I don't need text recognition?
Yes. When you are converting a document from Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can access the export settings and disable the OCR feature if you simply want to export the document as images without extracting the text.
Why is the text in my converted PDF incorrect or garbled?
OCR accuracy depends on the original scanned image. Poor resolution, handwritten text, complex page layouts, or unusual fonts can lead to recognition errors. Selecting the correct document language prior to conversion can help improve the accuracy.
Does WPS Office offer an OCR feature for scanned documents?
Yes, WPS Office includes a robust OCR tool within its PDF editor. It can quickly recognize text from scanned PDFs and images, allowing you to save and edit the content as standard Word or Excel files.
