Convert Scanned PDF To Word
When scanning a document, oftentimes, instead of containing text, the PDF contains an image of the scanned content. In order to work with the text, copy and paste, and use it, you can convert the scanned PDF to Word. Find out how to turn your scan into an editable Microsoft Word document.
How to convert a Scanned PDF to Word?
- Open PDF2Go and go to the PDF to Word converter.
- Upload your file. You can do so via drag and drop into the purple box, choosing it from Dropbox or Google Drive, or your hard drive.
- Enable Convert with OCR. Improve the result by selecting the language(s) of your scanned document.
- Optional: Change the Word file format if it suits your needs.
- Start the conversion.
Is this converter free?
All features of PDF2Go are, in their basic usage, free. This also includes the scanned PDF to Word converter. There are only a few limitations, such as a file size limit of 100 MB, and the simultaneous conversion of three files (for free registered users it’s five files).
Are my scans safe?
On PDF2Go we do whatever we can to guarantee the safety of your scans. All servers and connections for the upload and download of your files are encrypted using 256-bit SSL encryption. This makes the transfer of your files between your device and our servers safe and secure.
The link with which you can download your converted Word document is non-guessable and expires after 24 hours or 10 downloads, whichever occurs first. Your files are not manually checked by us and the rights maintain with you at all times.
The process of converting the scanned PDF file into an editable Word doc may take a few extra seconds, as our OCR needs to recognize the text of the paper documents stored as scans in PDF form.
On the bright side, being a fast online PDF to Word converter—loved by over 40 million monthly users, and counting, the whole process to convert the file from scanned PDF to Word shouldn’t take too long.
Is the Scanned Pdf to Word Converter Free?
All of Smallpdf’s tools are free to use with some limitations—our OCR Word converter is a Pro feature. You can scan to pdf online, as well as convert images, spreadsheets, and powerpoints to pdf, even when these documents are scans. To use our optical character recognition (OCR) technology to convert images to editable Word, check out our JPG to Word guide.
Cool, But What Are the Limitations?
Free tasks are limited to two per day and some features are only accessible with a Pro subscription. File size is also limited to a maximum of 5 GB, as high-resolution scans may be quite large.
Getting a Smallpdf Pro account will remove the daily task limit and allow you to use the tools as often as you need to convert images to pdf, or scanned pdf to word, or use our scan to pdf converter.
Are My Scans Safe?
Utmost security of your files is a guarantee. We’ve recognized the concern of general users when it comes to cloud services from day one. Smallpdf does everything in our power to take care of your files; we use TLS encryption, delete files after one hour, and use the reliable Amazon Web Services to host and handle your documents. For full disclosure, check out our Terms and Privacy page.
What are the Main Differences Between the Two PDF to Word OCR Solutions?
No Download Needed
With our online PDF to Word OCR tool, you convert your scanned files online directly in your browser (an active internet connection is required).
No Internet Needed
Able2Extract PRO works completely offline. You can use it to convert your docs offline without having to upload files to external servers for conversion.
The Quicker Way
The online scanned PDF to Word converter only converts entire image PDFs to DOCX with a 2-step conversion process. No advanced conversion options.
The More Accurate Way
Unlike the free online converter, Able2Extract PRO offers the latest generation OCR engine with advanced settings and selective conversion options.
OCR for Scanned Files in English
The online converter automatically recognizes scanned PDF text and converts it to an editable Word file, but can’t recognize non-English characters.
Multi-language OCR Engine
The OCR engine in Able2Extract PRO can successfully convert scanned documents in English, Spanish, French, German and 8 additional languages.
Only Whole Documents
You can convert whole PDFs only which can induce longer waiting times for large documents. Recognition algorithm underperforms on graphical elements.
Partial Conversions + R2V
Ability to perform partial page conversions (supported by Raster-to-Vector) makes Able2Extract Pro the best choice for both scanned text and graphical elements.
2 Free Conversions per Day
Two free conversion actions per day — no email address required. The file size limit is 50 MB. We use a 2048-bits RSA key with SHA-256 encryption.
7-day Free Trial
Able2Extract PRO has a 3-page conversion limit after one unrestricted conversion action. Purchasing a license removes this limitation.
PDF Converter with Basic OCR
Our free online tool can only convert scanned PDF to Word. You can’t select a different output file format like Excel or use batch processing and other advanced features.
Full-featured PDF Software
Able2Extract PRO is a complete solution packed with advanced PDF conversion, editing, OCR, security and eSignature tools for all your PDF needs.
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Scanned PDF to Word FAQ
Introduction:
Scanned PDFs are image-only PDFs that only contain photographed images of pages without any text layer. Unlike digitally created PDFs, scanned PDFs aren’t searchable, and the text content can’t be modified or annotated randomly. However, the OCR technology can help convert scanned PDF to Word documents, thus making it possible to edit scanned PDFs.
Many PDF editors now support the OCR technology, which makes image-only PDFs editable and searchable. In the following content, we will lay out detailed tips and thorough information to teach you how to convert scanned PDF to Word.
What is OCR?
To put it simply, OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is a technology used to scan and analyze scanned documents or images and extract the text content to convert them into a machine-readable form. Using OCR, scanned documents can be modified as easily as Word documents.
How to Convert Scanned PDF to Word Offline
As we’ve mentioned before, you can’t edit or annotate scanned PDFs because they don’t contain any recognizable text, and all text is covered in images. So far, the best way to make scanned PDFs editable is to convert them to other file formats. You can complete this conversion without breaking a sweat by using SwifDoo PDF.
SwifDoo PDF, one of the most popular scanned PDF to Word converters, has an OCR feature with high accuracy and rapid word recognition. It offers four output modes: document with text and images, text with original formatting, searchable text and images (non-editable), and pure text. Each mode is easily understood by its name.
More importantly, SwifDoo PDF enables you to select languages manually to ensure the accuracy of the converted files. All the major languages are supported when using SwifDoo PDF’s OCR feature, including English, German, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, etc.
Here is how to convert scanned PDF to Word offline in minor steps with SwifDoo PDF:
Step 1. Download and install SwifDoo PDF on your computer;
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Step 2. Run SwifDoo PDF, then click PDF to Word on the homepage;
Step 3. Upload the scanned PDF document in the operating area and click Start to convert it to a Word document.
SwifDoo PDF only takes several seconds to help you convert files. Besides converting scanned PDF to Word, SwifDoo PDF also enables you to convert PDF to many other file formats, and vice versa, such as converting PDF to Excel, HTML, CAD, etc.
How to Convert Scanned PDF to Word Online
In addition, if you’re reluctant to download any software on your computer, you can use SwifDoo PDF’s online converter.
Let’s see how to convert scanned PDF to Word online for free:
Step 1. Open SwifDoo PDF’s website and click Convert PDF in the top navigation bar;
Step 2. Select PDF to Word under Convert from PDF;
Step 3. Choose the image-only PDF on your computer. SwifDoo PDF’s online converter will start converting scanned PDF to Word documents automatically after opening successfully;
Step 4. Download the converted Word document.
You’ll find that there’s no difference in the converted files no matter what method you use. In addition, all the formatting in the original files is well contained even after converting. More crucially, not even a piece of advertising will be seen on SwifDoo PDF’s website or desktop software, so you won’t get disturbed by unnecessary information on the whole process.
What Is a Scanned PDF?
Usually, PDFs are classified into three types: real PDFs or digitally created PDFs, scanned PDFs, and searchable PDFs.
Real PDFs are born as PDFs. They are created by Microsoft Word, Excel, dedicated PDF creators, and many other office programs. Real PDFs contain recognized text and pictures, and they can be easily selected, edited, deleted, resized, and moved.
Scanned PDFs, also known as image-only PDFs, are created by scanning hard copy documents or converting images to PDF documents. These PDFs only contain images without any recognizable text content. However, these files can be converted from non-readable text into readable text with an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) engine. In fact, the OCR engine just simply adds an underlying text layer to the document, so the converted file still can’t be taken as a real PDF.
As the name has suggested, searchable PDFs are PDF documents whose text content can be searched, copied, pasted, and annotated. It’s almost indistinguishable between searchable PDFs and real PDFs. However, searchable PDFs come from using OCR technology to scan image-only PDFs, so these PDFs contain both a text layer and an image layer.
Is SwifDoo PDF Free & Safe?
In a word, yes, SwifDoo PDF is indeed a free and safe converter to convert scanned PDF to word.
SwifDoo PDF provides a free trial with full access to all its features, so you can test the program out before purchasing it. For all users, a 15-day free trial is offered. This period is enough for most people to gauge whether SwifDoo PDF is suitable for their needs.
Additionally, SwifDoo PDF uses 256-bit SSL encryption to secure users’ documents. Consequently, the file will be deleted automatically from the server once the conversion is completed. You don’t have to worry about any information leakage.
If you’re wondering how to convert scanned PDF to Word for free, SwifDoo PDF is definitely the best choice that you should never miss.
SwifDoo PDF — The Best PDF to Word Converter
- Convert any file format to PDF, and vice versa
- Convert files without spending a penny
- An inbuilt OCR feature supported
Free Download
Windows 11/10/8.1/7/XP
The Bottom Line
With the guide above, you can convert scanned PDF to Word documents easily! SwifDoo PDF is a feature-rich and well-designed PDF editor. Besides serving as a PDF converter, SwifDoo PDF can also be used to solve all common PDF issues. No doubt, you’ll be surprised by its powerful features. Download and use it right now!
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Convert a scan into a Word document with this easy-to-use guide
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- Opening PDF in Word
- Scanning With & Using Microsoft Lens
- Q&A
- Tips
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Do you want to edit that PDF in Word? You can open the PDF using Word’s built-in settings or, If you have a Microsoft account and a smartphone, you can also use the free Microsoft Lens app to scan your document and save it as a Word file in your OneDrive cloud storage. This wikiHow teaches you how to convert a scanned document into an editable Word document on your Windows PC, Mac, or smartphone.
Things You Should Know
- If you have a PDF on your computer, you can open it within Word by going to «File > Open > OK.»
- Use the Microsoft Lens app from your Android, iPhone, or iPad to scan documents and open them in Word.
- If the doc you scanned is not PDF format, convert it first to be able to open it in Word.
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Open Word. You can only do this in newer versions of Word (including anything newer than Word 2010). If you have Word 2010 or older, those are no longer supported versions, and importing a PDF into Word isn’t possible.
- Make sure the document you have is in PDF format.
- Opening a PDF in Word works best if the PDF is mostly text.
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Click File and Open. The File tab is either at the top of your screen (Macs) or right above your document space (Windows).
- Doing this will open your file manager.
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Double-click your PDF. Double-clicking the file once you find it will open it.
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Click OK. Word will begin converting the scanned PDF into a Word document.
- This process can take several minutes if your PDF has lots of text or images.[1]
- This process can take several minutes if your PDF has lots of text or images.[1]
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Clean up your document. Converting scanned files into Word documents isn’t an exact science; you may have to add missing words, remove excess spaces, and fix typos before your Word document is ready to go.
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Save the document. Once you’re ready to save the converted document as its own Word file, do the following:
- Windows — Press Ctrl+S, then enter a file name, select a save location, and click Save.
- Mac — Press ⌘ Command+S, then enter a file name, select a save location from the «Where» drop-down box, and click Save.
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Open Microsoft Lens. Tap the Microsoft Lens app icon, which resembles a red and white app with a camera iris and the letter «L» in the center of the icon.
- Microsoft Lens is a free smartphone app that allows you to take pictures of documents and turn them into PDFs. This will be super useful if you have a piece of paper that you want to edit in Word. In that case, you can take a picture of the paper, turn it into a PDF, and open it in Word.
- If you don’t have Microsoft Lens installed, you can download it from the Google Play Store for Android or from the App Store on iPhone.
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Allow Microsoft Lens access to your phone. If this is your first time opening Microsoft Lens, tap Allow or OK when prompted to allow Microsoft Lens to access your phone’s files.
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Tap DOCUMENT. It’s a tab at the bottom of the screen.
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Point your phone’s camera at a document. Position the document that you want to scan inside the camera’s view.
- Make sure your document is well-lit and positioned on a dark background so the camera can pick up as much detail as possible.
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Tap the «Capture» button. It’s a red circle at the bottom of the screen. This will take a photo of the document’s page.
- Tap Confirm if the capture is ok. Tap Retake if the document wasn’t captured correctly.
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Tap Done. It’s in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- You can scan more pages by tapping the camera with the plus icon in the bottom left corner of your screen.
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Tap Word. You’ll find this option in the «SAVE TO» section.
- On Android, tap the box next to Word and then tap SAVE at the bottom of the screen[2]
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- On Android, tap the box next to Word and then tap SAVE at the bottom of the screen[2]
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Sign into your Microsoft account. If you haven’t already, enter your Microsoft account email address and password. Once signed in, your Word document will be uploaded to your OneDrive account.
- This must be the account that you use to log into Microsoft Word as well.
- You’re done using your phone.
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Open Word on your computer. It’s the blue app with a white document and the letter «W» in the icon.
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Click Open. It’s on the left side of the window below the «New» section.
- On Mac, simply click the folder icon that says Open on the left-hand side of the window.
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Click OneDrive — Personal. It’s in the menu on the left side of the window and will prompt your OneDrive to open on the right side of the window.
- If you don’t see the OneDrive option, click + Add a Place, then click OneDrive and sign in with your Microsoft account.
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Go to the Microsoft Lens folder. Click on the «Documents» folder, then click the «Microsoft/Office Lens» folder. This is on the right pane of the window.
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Double-click your Word document. This opens the document you scanned using Microsoft Lens on your phone or tablet in Microsoft Word.
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Add New Question
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Does anything here cost money? Is there any chance of getting a virus on my computer while downloading these things?
Some cost money, some don’t. The free ones run a risk of infection, but you should have an anti-virus program installed anyway.
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I followed the instructions for enabling document imaging in Word 2007, but did not find the imaging program listed under Microsoft Office Tools, then what went wrong, and how can I do it correctly?
Microsoft (for some reason) didn’t enable document imaging in Word 2007 for 64-bit computers.
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Will everything I scan become editable?
Indeed, it will. Just follow these simple steps: Go to onlineocr.net or if your file is more than 5mb, use you can use pdf2doc.com. Upload your file to these websites. When the file get uploaded, select doc or docx format and click ‘Convert’. It is a time-consuming process, especially if your file size is big. The moment it completes the conversion, click download the file. After downloading the file, go to your downloads and open the file which will automatically in MS Word. Now here you can edit your file and use it your way.
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Office Lens will handle physical files (e.g., paper documents) better than on-screen text.
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If the scanned document is a JPEG or something else, convert it first.
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