Applying OCR (optical character recognition) to a PDF will convert non-editable images and text into an editable, searchable, machine-readable document. All you need to do is upload a PDF into OCR software to convert your file and download your new document.
It’s used across a variety of industries and settings. Thanks to its text recognition technology, you can turn static images or scanned documents into fully functioning text that you can search, copy, highlight and even rewrite as you need.
Adobe’s free online PDF OCR software can help you find, copy and edit scanned text in a flash. Here’s how to do it.
Here’s how our online OCR to PDF converter can help you save time and work smarter with your documents:
Make manual data entry a thing of the past. With optical character recognition (OCR), Acrobat automatically extracts text from any scanned document or image file and converts it to editable text in a PDF.
Search for words or key phrases in your documents, saving you time and effort. OCR is also compatible with screen readers, increasing accessibility.
Acrobat can recognise text and its formatting to retain the exact layout of your documents. Your new PDF will match your original printout thanks to automatic customised font generation.
You can access Adobe Acrobat from a web browser with no downloads or installs. From there, you can export it to a Microsoft Word (DOCX) document, PowerPoint file (PPT), Excel spreadsheet (XLS) , or a plain text document (TXT).
We’ll keep your OCR PDF files safe, encrypted and compliant with GDPR.
We've been innovating the PDF format since its inception, which means you can trust the quality of our OCR tools.
When you convert a PDF with OCR, it helps to follow a few simple tips to get the most accurate and useful results. Here are a few considerations.
Yes, you can recognise text in files that aren’t PDFs with Adobe Acrobat Pro. With a 7-day free trial, you can use OCR on image formats like PNG, JPG, and TIFF.
The trial also unlocks advanced PDF features, including sensitive text redaction, web form creation and e-signature tracking.
Optical character recognition has several important benefits, including:
However, OCR PDF text recognition can sometimes struggle to identify more complex text and characters. So, while OCR is an excellent tool, it isn’t always a failsafe one.
ICR, or Intelligent Character Recognition, is a form of OCR. Crucially, though, it can read different languages, fonts, sizes, and styles – including hand-written notes. While it’s like OCR, it uses more advanced algorithms and features.
Read more about the differences between OCR and ICR.
Yes, ChatGPT can perform OCR. Acrobat in ChatGPT offers a secure and intuitive way to edit documents with simple prompts.
Just upload your PDF or scan as an attachment to the programme using the paperclip or plus icon. Be specific in your prompt to get the best results, specifying exactly what you want extracted, the end file format, and anything else required.
Explore our guide on how to use ChatGPT for PDF editing to learn more.
