PDF Text Extraction Methods - Convert PDF to Editable Text

## Types of PDF Files ### Text-based PDF - Created from digital documents - Text can be selected and copied directly - No OCR needed ### Image-based PDF - Created from scanned documents - Text appears as images - Requires OCR for extraction ### Mixed PDF - Contains both text and scanned pages - May need different approaches for different pages ## Extracting Text from Scanned PDFs ### Step 1: Convert PDF to Images - Use PDF viewer's export function - Online PDF to image converters - Screenshot individual pages ### Step 2: Optimize Images - Ensure adequate resolution (300 DPI+) - Adjust contrast if needed - Crop unnecessary margins ### Step 3: OCR Recognition - Upload images to EasyOCR - Process pages in order - Combine results ## Best Practices ### Image Quality - Higher resolution improves accuracy - Clean, clear scans work best - Avoid shadows and skewing ### Document Preparation - Straighten tilted pages - Remove stamps if they cover text - Handwritten signatures may not recognize well ### Batch Processing - Process similar documents together - Maintain consistent settings - Spot-check results for quality ## Common Issues and Solutions ### Poor Recognition Quality - Increase image resolution - Improve lighting/contrast - Use cleaner source documents ### Missing Text - Check if text is covered by stamps - Ensure all pages are captured - Verify image includes all content ### Wrong Character Recognition - May be font-related issues - Try adjusting image contrast - Manual correction may be needed ## FAQ ### Q: Why can't some text be recognized? A: Usually due to poor image quality, small font size, or unusual fonts. Try improving the source image. ### Q: Can original formatting be preserved? A: OCR primarily extracts text content. Original layout may need manual recreation. ### Q: Can handwritten PDFs be recognized? A: Yes, but accuracy depends on handwriting clarity. ## Summary PDF text extraction is essential for digitizing scanned documents. By understanding your PDF type and following best practices, you can achieve accurate text extraction with EasyOCR.