OCR stands for optical character recognition. It analyzes the visual shapes on a scanned page and creates a text layer that software can search, copy, and sometimes convert into editable content. A scan can look like a document to a person while containing no selectable text for a computer.
When OCR helps
Use OCR for scanned invoices, paper forms, archived reports, photographed pages, or PDFs where selecting text does nothing. OCR can make a document searchable without changing the visible page image.
Create a searchable PDF
- Open OCR PDF.
- Upload the scanned PDF.
- Select the document language when the option is available.
- Start the OCR job.
- Search for several words in the output and compare them with the page image.
Language selection matters. A document with names, accents, symbols, or multiple languages may need extra review. OCR is an interpretation, not a perfect transcription.
What to check
Search for a heading, a number, and a word near the edge of a page. Check tables, columns, handwriting, low-contrast scans, and unusual fonts. If a critical number is wrong, verify it against the original image before using the output.
OCR and PDF conversion
OCR can improve a later PDF to Word conversion because the converter has text to work with. Keep the searchable PDF and the original scan when the source has archival or evidentiary value.