EveryPDFToolExtract text from a scanned PDF
Scanned PDFs often contain page images rather than selectable text. OCR can recognize the printed characters and return editable text.
Why scanned PDFs need OCR
A normal PDF-to-text extractor works best when the PDF already contains a text layer. Scanned documents usually need optical character recognition first.
Improve OCR accuracy
Clear scans with straight pages and readable contrast usually perform better. Blurry scans, handwriting and complex page designs can reduce accuracy.
Choose the correct extraction tool
Use OCR PDF to Text for scanned files. If the PDF already contains selectable text, PDF to Text is the simpler option.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t I select text in my scanned PDF?
The PDF may contain images of pages rather than an embedded text layer.
Does OCR make the text editable?
OCR returns recognized text that can be copied and edited.
Should I use PDF to Text or OCR PDF to Text?
Use OCR for scanned or image-based PDFs; use normal PDF to Text for PDFs that already contain selectable text.