Why Table Recognition?

In daily work, we often need to extract table data from images:

PDF reports that cannot be copied directly
Whiteboard photos from meetings that need to be digitized
Paper invoices and receipts for expense reporting
Data tables from website screenshots
Historical documents and archives digitization

Manual data entry is time-consuming and error-prone. OCR technology can quickly and accurately extract table data.

How Table OCR Works

Table OCR recognition is more complex than regular text recognition, typically including these steps:

1. Table Detection

First, the system locates the table in the image, identifying boundaries, row lines, and column lines. Tables with clear borders are easier to detect; borderless tables require inference from text alignment.

2. Cell Segmentation

After locating the table, the system divides it into individual cells, accurately identifying:

Row boundaries
Column boundaries
Merged cell ranges

3. Text Recognition

OCR recognition is performed on the text within each cell.

4. Structured Output

Results are organized according to the table's row-column structure and output in usable formats (CSV, Excel, JSON, etc.).

Tips for Better Table Recognition

Photography Tips

Image quality directly affects recognition results:

Keep it level: Align the table parallel to image edges
Good lighting: Ensure even lighting without shadows
Sharp focus: Text edges should be clear and crisp
Complete capture: Include all table content in the frame
Avoid glare: Adjust angle to prevent reflections on glossy paper

Image Preprocessing

Before uploading, consider these adjustments:

Crop: Keep only the table area, remove irrelevant content
Adjust contrast: Enhance text-background contrast
Correct skew: Use image editing tools to rotate and straighten
Increase resolution: Enlarge if text is too small

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue 1: Misaligned Rows and Columns

Cause: Table is tilted or cells are irregularly aligned

Solution:

Retake the photo, ensuring the table is level
Use image editing tools to correct the tilt angle
Choose tables with clear borders for recognition

Issue 2: Some Text Incorrectly Recognized

Cause: Blurry image, special fonts, or insufficient contrast

Solution:

Improve image resolution and clarity
Enhance image contrast
Manual proofreading may be needed for handwritten or special fonts

Using EasyOCR for Table Recognition

EasyOCR supports text recognition from table images:

Open the EasyOCR online recognition page
Upload an image containing a table (drag, drop, or paste)
Click "Start OCR"
Get results, copy or export as TXT file

Tip: For complex tables, we recommend adjusting the format in Excel after recognition. EasyOCR outputs results line by line, and you can use Excel's "Text to Columns" feature to quickly organize the data.

Summary

Table OCR recognition is a powerful tool for improving work efficiency. By mastering proper photography techniques and image processing methods, you can significantly improve recognition accuracy. For everyday table data extraction needs, EasyOCR provides a free and convenient solution.

How to Extract Text from Tables in Images - Complete Guide