Acrobat
The ultimate guide to managing PDF documents: Learn OCR conversion, text extraction, and word search.
Extract text, search for phrases, and convert PDFs using the OCR tool in Adobe Acrobat.

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The power of OCR technology: Transforming PDFs to editable text
How do you choose the perfect PDF OCR converter for your needs?
Make your scanned PDFs accessible with a PDF OCR converter
How to search by Word in PDF documents and extract the text using Adobe OCR converter
Searching for specific words or phrases in PDFs can be challenging, especially when the content is not searchable. Many PDFs display images of text instead of actual searchable text, making it hard to find or extract information.
Fortunately, OCR technology allows you to unlock the full potential of your PDF content. Learn how to search for words in a PDF using the Acrobat OCR tool to find specific text, keywords, or phrases, saving time and effort.
The power of OCR technology: Transforming PDFs to editable text.
PDFs are widely used for sharing documents but often aren’t searchable or editable. OCR technology changes that by converting PDFs into editable formats like Word, making searching, editing, and extracting text easier.
OCR technology is invaluable for professionals, researchers, and writers who work with large volumes of text. Instead of retyping or manually searching through PDFs, you can leverage OCR to streamline workflows, increase efficiency, and enhance productivity.
Benefits of Using OCR for PDFs:
- Instantly search for keywords and phrases within documents.
- Copy text to use in other files.
- Edit and reformat text within PDFs.
- Use text-to-speech tools for audio reading.
- Translate text into different languages.
- Enable accessibility features like reflow for mobile screens.
How to choose the right PDF OCR converter.
When selecting an OCR tool, consider key factors like language support, accuracy rates, and the ability to recognise handwritten text. For confidential documents, prioritise accuracy and reliability. Advanced OCR tools leverage machine learning and neural networks to enhance text recognition, improving accuracy for complex fonts, languages, and layouts.
Adobe Acrobat is a widely-used PDF OCR converter capable of recognising text in scanned PDFs and images. It supports multiple global languages, handwritten text, and complex layouts, making it a versatile tool for various document conversion needs.
Make scanned PDFs accessible with OCR technology.
OCR technology transforms scanned PDFs and images into searchable and editable text. It deciphers pixels, recognises character patterns, and converts them into machine-readable formats.
How the OCR Process Works:
- Image Acquisition: Scanning or capturing images of PDF files using a scanner or digital camera.
- Preprocessing: Enhancing the image by removing noise, boosting contrast, and improving text clarity.
- OCR Analysis: The OCR software analyses the image, recognising individual characters and words.
- Text Extraction: The recognised text is converted into a searchable and editable format.
How to search for words and extract text in PDF documents using Acrobat OCR tool.
Step 1: Open your web browser and visit the Adobe Acrobat online tools.
Step 2: Scroll to find the "OCR PDF" tool in the tools section and click on Try for free.
Step 3: Click on Select a file and upload the PDF you want to apply OCR technology to.
Step 4: Once uploaded, select the document’s language from the drop-down menu and click Recognize text to begin the OCR process. Adobe supports multiple global languages for accurate text recognition.
Step 5: After the text is recognised, sign in to download the searchable PDF file. You can also generate a link to share the file with others.
Your PDF is now searchable and editable. This process allows you to extract and search text in PDFs, just like in a Word file.
Advanced features of Adobe OCR PDF tool.
High-quality text recognition.
The Adobe Acrobat online OCR tool provides high-quality text recognition, turning scanned documents into searchable PDFs. You can copy, highlight, and even make small edits to recognised text directly in Acrobat.
Accurately convert PDFs into text.
Use Acrobat OCR tool to transform static PDFs into searchable documents, allowing you to find key information with a word or phrase search quickly.
No need to install additional software.
Adobe Acrobat online OCR tool works seamlessly on any browser, including Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome. No additional software is required.
Document security and privacy.
Adobe ensures strong security measures for every PDF created with Acrobat. Advanced encryption helps protect your data, ensuring document confidentiality when working online.
Frequently asked questions.
Does the OCR tool support multiple languages?
Can I use OCR to extract specific data from a PDF?
What types of files can I use with the Adobe OCR tool?
Is my data secure when using Adobe Acrobat online services?
Can I use the Adobe Acrobat OCR tool on my mobile device?
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