How to Recognize Text in PDF? (The Complete Guide)

Have you ever wanted to copy text from a scanned document? Or do you want to extract text from a PDF with screenshots or handwritten notes? If yes, you're in the right place for a solution.

Recognizing text from scans or images lets you extract key details without manually retyping everything. You can easily extract or edit the text and search for specific sections as needed.

But how do you recognize text in a PDF? This article will be your guide. We will show you how to recognize text from scanned PDFs and handwritten notes.

While there are several solutions, we suggest using UPDF. With its powerful OCR tool, you can recognize text from about 38 languages. All the while keeping the structure intact!

You can also search text and edit it right within UPDF without switching to a separate platform. And if you want to extract handwriting in PDF accurately, UPDF makes it possible with its powerful AI assistant!

Why not try it yourself? Download UPDF now! Then follow the guide below to extract text from any PDF effortlessly!

Part 1. Recognize Text in Scanned PDF Documents

If you want to recognize PDF text in images or scanned PDFs, UPDF's OCR tool offers a simple solution. It quickly analyzes the text in your document and converts it into an editable and searchable PDF with remarkable accuracy.

Here are some standout features it offers.

1. You can convert scans with 3 layouts: text and picture only, text over the background image, or text under it.
2. You can customize settings for the layout, image resolution, page range, and more.
3. You can extract text from a multilingual document.
4. Reverse OCR allows you to convert an editable PDF to an image-only format.
5. It supports both scanned documents and images.

Ready to recognize text in scanned PDF documents? Here's how it works.

Step 1: Launch UPDF on your device. Then click "Open File" to import your scanned PDF. For images files, you can drag them into UPDF home interface to open them.

Step 2: Once your file opens, click "Recognize Text Using OCR" from the right panel.

Step 3: A menu for OCR settings will open. Under the Document Type, select "Searchable PDF."

Step 4: Select your desired layout and adjust other settings such as document language, image resolution, page range, etc.

Step 5: Click the gear icon next to the Layout dropdown for advanced layout settings. This will open the layout settings menu. Here, you can select options like MRC compression and more. Click "Perform OCR" once you're done with settings.

Step 6: Once the OCR is complete, the converted PDF will open in a new tap. Then, you can select, search, and edit the text in PDF.

That's it. Now you know how to recognize text in a PDF with scanned images! If you're more of a visual learner, watch the video below for an easy guide on UPDF's OCR tool.

Part 2. Recognize Handwritten Text in PDF

Sometimes, you may need to extract a handwritten text from a PDF file. While OCR tools can help you recognize it, they can be inaccurate, especially if the writing is unclear.

But don't worry. UPDF offers an easy solution with its built-in AI assistant. Give it a screenshot of the handwriting, and it will extract the text within seconds. You can then copy and paste it into any text editor for manual editing.

This is the chat with the image function at work! Here's what more you can do with it.

1. You can extract text with a single prompt from images and screenshots.
2. It supports all languages for both handwritten and digital text.
3. You can gain detailed analysis of data charts and complex diagrams.
4. It can offer expert feedback, suggestions for design improvement, and more.
5. You can generate content for social media based on the file.

So, are you ready to recognize handwritten text in PDF? Download and install on your Windows or Mac. Then, use the guide below to extract handwritten text quickly and easily!

Step 1: Open UPDF on your desktop. Click "Open File" and select the PDF with handwritten text. 

Step 2: Once your PDF opens, click "UPDF AI" from the lower right. Then, select the "Chat" mode from the top.

Step 3: Navigate to the PDF page with handwritten text. Then, select the "Screenshot" tool from the bottom right.

Step 4: Click and drag your cursor over the area with handwritten text. Once you release it, the screenshot will be uploaded to UPDF AI.

Step 5: Write a prompt asking UPDF AI to extract handwriting from the image. Then, hit the "Send" button. UPDF AI will quickly analyze the handwriting and extract it in digital form.

Prompt: Extract the handwritten text from this image.

And that's how to recognize handwritten text in PDF with AI! UPDF AI makes it quick and simple. You don't need lengthy steps or complex navigation. And even better, it offers 100 free tasks to get you started.

Apart from the AI assistant, UPDF brings a full suite of productive PDF tools to your workflows. You can read this UPDF review to explore more of its features and how they can benefit you!

Part 3. Why is My Text Not Recognized in PDF?

Sometimes, an OCR may not recognize text, leading to inaccurate conversion. If you face this issue, don't panic. Here are some possible reasons and how to fix it.

• Low-Quality Scans: A scan with blurry or misaligned text is difficult for the OCR to recognize.
• Messy Handwriting: OCR tools can struggle to identify sloppy handwritten text.
• Stylized Fonts: The PDF may contain decorative or complex text that can confuse the OCR.
•  Low Contrast: If there is not enough contrast between text and background, differentiating the characters can be tricky.
• Protected PDF: The PDF may have restrictions for performing OCR and editing the text, restricting text recognition.

Solutions for Text not Recognizing in PDF

Here's what to consider to fix the issue of 'text not recognized in PDF.'

• Use High-Quality Scans: Scan the document at a higher resolution for clear and legible text.
• Use Multi-Language OCR: If your PDF contains multiple languages, use an OCR tool that supports multi-lingual documents.
• Check OCR Settings: Select the right document language, layout, and output type. Incorrect settings can cause issues with text recognition.
• Use AI: If the result is not what you want, try to convert the scanned PDF to images or screenshot it, then, use the AI tool like UPDF AI to extract text.

Final Words

That's all about how to recognize text in PDF. The process is effortless with UPDF's versatile text recognition capabilities. You can use the OCR tool to recognize text from scanned documents or AI assistant to extract text with minimal effort. Try it. Download UPDF on your desktop today! You'll find an efficient way to handle your scanned PDFs and more!