How to Copy Scanned PDF Text on Computer and Mobile
Summary :
This extensive guide provides a variety of methods to easily extract text from scanned PDFs on both computer and mobile devices, ensuring a hassle-free text extraction experience.
Table of Contents
How to Copy Text from Scanned PDF
It is generally not an easy task to copy text from PDF, especially from image-based documents. But with the right methods and tools, you can do it effortlessly.
This thorough guide will walk you through multiple approaches to extracting text from scanned PDFs, whether you’re working on a computer or a mobile device.
👉To save time, you can directly download the free PDF editor software used to copy text from scanned PDFs without formatting issues.
Copy Scanned PDF Text in Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC’s “Edit PDF” feature is a powerful tool for automatically transforming scanned PDFs into editable text and images.
This feature allows for instant copying without the need for conversion, but it does come with premium requirements.
Step.1 Open the Scanned PDF File in Adobe Acrobat
Start by launching Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and opening your scanned PDF document.
Open Your PDF File with Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
Step.2 Edit PDF to Transform Scanned PDF to Editable Text
Navigate to the “Edit PDF” feature within Adobe Acrobat. This tool will automatically convert the scanned PDF into editable text and images.
Select Edit PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
Step.3 Copy the Text and Paste to the Desired Destination
Once the PDF is transformed, you can simply select and copy the text. Paste it into your desired destination, but be sure to perform a final check to correct any gibberish text if present.
Copy Selected Text from Scanned PDF
Extract Text from Scanned PDF Using PDFgear
PDFgear Desktop offers a precise Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature for extracting text from scanned PDFs.
While it allows text extraction from specific areas, it may not be suitable for handling multiple pages simultaneously.
Additionally, scanned PDFs often have formatting quirks when processing on computers, so be sure to check for line breaks.
To get started, get PDFgear Desktop on our Windows or Mac computer.
Extract text from PDF documents or batch convert scanned PDF to editable Microsoft Word for completely free.
Step.1 Open PDFgear Desktop
Launch PDFgear Desktop on your computer and choose the “Local File OCR” option.
Open PDFgear Desktop and Click Local File OCR
Step.2 Open the Scanned PDF with Local File OCR
Open the scanned PDF file within Local File OCR.
Open the Scanned PDF
Step.3 Copy the Text and Paste to the Desired Destination
Once the OCR process is complete, you can select and copy the extracted text. Paste it into your desired destination. Keep an eye out for any formatting issues, especially line breaks.
Select and Copy the Extracted Text
Convert Scanned PDF to Word Online
Converting scanned PDFs to Microsoft Word online holds a free and convenient option. You can do this without signing up or installing any software.
However, note that this method may not directly copy text to the clipboard.
Step.1 Upload the Scanned PDF File to PDFgear Online
Visit PDFgear Online PDF to Word Converter with your web browser, and upload your scanned PDF document.
Upload your Scanned PDF to the Online Word Converter
Step.2 Convert PDF to Word
Initiate the conversion process by clicking the appropriate button on the PDFgear online tool.
Convert PDF to Word
Step.3 Open the Converted Word Document and Copy Text
After conversion, you’ll receive a Word document. Open it and select and copy the text. Paste it into your desired destination.
Copy Text from the Converted Word File
FAQs
Why can’t I copy text from a scanned PDF?
Text copying from scanned PDFs can be challenging because these PDFs are essentially images. To enable text copying, you often need Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, which can recognize and convert images of text into editable text.
Will the formatting of the copied text be the same as the original scanned PDF?
The formatting of copied text may vary depending on the method used. Some methods may preserve formatting better than others. It’s important to double-check the final version of your copied text and make necessary edits to ensure it matches your requirements.
Can I copy images from scanned PDFs?
Yes, you can copy images from scanned PDFs using various tools, as mentioned in this article. These tools allow you to extract images and graphics from scanned PDF documents for your use.
Conclusion
Consider the method that aligns best with your needs for text extraction from scanned PDFs. Adobe Acrobat offers convenience but at a premium cost. PDFgear Desktop ensures precision, while online conversion is free and versatile, albeit without direct clipboard copying. By selecting the method that suits your specific requirements, you can effortlessly extract text from scanned PDFs, whether you’re on a computer or a mobile device.
