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Optical Character Recognition (OCR) on PDFs
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is a technology that converts an image of text into a machine-readable format.
Think of it as a digital copy machine that uses automation to transform a scanned document into editable, searchable PDFs.
Example of OCR on PDF
OCR is mainly needed for image-based PDFs (where text can’t be selected) rather than text-based PDFs (where text is already selectable).
Brief Explanation of OCR Process
Prerequisites for OCR on PDF
- A PDF document that needs OCR.
- Any AI-based open-source tool with free trial plans for OCR.
- Enough storage capacity.
- A stable internet connection.
AI-Powered Tools for OCR
Here are some tools you can try:
Steps to Implement OCR
- Sign up with your business email on any of the above tools.
- Upload your PDF and follow the instructions.
- Let the tool process the file and generate output.
- Save the output — you can now edit and search the text in the PDF.
Troubleshooting
- If some fields aren’t parsed (e.g., in Docparser), raise a support ticket.
- If your free trial expires, you’ll need to subscribe to continue using the service.