Convert Scanned PDF to Word
Turn pictures of text into editable documents.
Converting a scanned PDF is harder than a regular PDF because the computer sees it as a picture, not text. To convert it into an editable Word document, you need technology called OCR (Optical Character Recognition).
This guide explores the best ways to turn scanned images into editable text.
IMG_001.jpg
"Picture of Text"
→ OCR →
Document.docx
"Editable Text"
What is OCR?
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) scans the image of your document, recognizes the shapes of letters, and rebuilds them as editable digital text.
- Without OCR: You get a Word doc containing a picture of text.
- With OCR: You get actual text you can delete, type over, and search.
How to Convert Scanned PDF
- Use an OCR-enabled tool: Not all converters support scans. Look for "OCR" features.
- Check Image Quality: Blurry or dark scans produce errors. Ensure good lighting and contrast.
- Proofread: OCR is rarely 100% perfect. Always check numbers and proper nouns.
Article Authored By
CDN
The PDFCanada.ca Engineering Team
Senior PDF & Security Specialists
Toronto, Canada"PDFCanada.ca was established in 2024 to disrupt the exploitative 'upload-and-harvest' model of modern PDF tools. Our engineering team, based in Ontario, specializes in high-performance WebAssembly (WASM) implementations that bring server-grade PDF manipulation directly to the user's browser, ensuring absolute data sovereignty."
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