Convert handwriting to text with OCR to PDF.

Digitise your handwriting with an OCR scanner app.

An OCR-capable scanner is the easiest way to scan handwriting to machine text. If you don’t have a scanner, you can also use a mobile scanner app with OCR features to convert handwriting automatically. Adobe Scan, for example, works like this:

1. Open the scanner app.
2. Point your mobile device’s camera at a handwritten document.
3. Save the scanned file.

After scanning, you can edit or convert the PDF like any regular PDF file.

Convert handwriting to text using your mobile device.

Some phones have built-in OCR capabilities and can convert handwriting to text without using any additional apps.

You can use your iPhone’s OCR handwriting features by following these steps:

1. Open the Notes app.
2. Create a new note or open an existing one.
3. Tap the camera icon.
4. Choose the Scan Text option from the pop-up menu.
5. Point the camera toward the handwritten text as it opens.
6. Allow the camera to read and analyse the text. The grey insert button will turn blue.
7. Tap insert.

Convert OCR to PDF text online using Adobe Acrobat.

You can easily convert OCR to editable PDF text with Adobe Acrobat.

Here’s how to edit your scanned documents:

1. Open a PDF that contains a scanned image in Acrobat.
2. Click the Edit PDF tool in the right pane. Acrobat automatically applies OCR to your document and converts it to an editable copy of your PDF.
3. Click the text element you wish to edit and start typing. The new text will match the look of the original fonts in your scanned image.
4. Choose File > Save As and type a new name for your editable document.

You can also use the PDF editor tool with Adobe Acrobat’s online services to work with your scanned OCR documents online.

Adobe Acrobat makes reformatting your work a breeze. While Adobe’s tools can quickly convert text, there are some ways you can make it an even smoother process to transform your handwritten documents into text.

Is quality worse if you scan handwriting to text?

Quality can potentially be compromised in your work if it’s not written neatly. When scanning handwritten documents, it’s important to ensure your handwriting is legible, as the OCR technology may not be able to pick up certain words otherwise. OCR requires uniformity to convert text properly.

To ensure quality is maintained when converting handwriting to text, you should consider the following factors:

• Handwriting. Writing in cursive, or in a stylised way could make it difficult for OCR to read your writing.
• Legibility. Ensuring your writing is legible is essential – smudges, crinkles in the paper, or poor formatting could impact quality.
• Image Quality. If you’re converting text from a low-quality/resolution image, OCR may struggle to read the image and accurately transcribe the text.
• Font sizes. Small font sizes may impact legibility, which could lead to quality or accuracy issues.
• Colour. If your text is on a similarly coloured background, then OCR may have difficulty parsing the text from the background. It may also struggle to accurately determine different characters.
• Lighting. Poor lighting or uneven shadows can obscure parts of the text and reduce OCR accuracy. Aim for evenly lit, glare-free images for best results.