If you use PDF on daily activities, you've come across a PDF or image containing the text. It can be troublesome at times, as there are moments where we need to extract the text from the PDF/image.

If the case mentioned just now happened to you, don't worry, as OCR software (optical character recognition) is here to save the day. Check out some of the best OCR software you can use to extract text from an image-type PDF! All you'll need to do is pick the most suitable one for you.

PDF OCR X Community Edition is a free desktop OCR app for macOS based on the open source Tesseract engine (see number 7). Although it only scans single page PDFs, it does a pretty decent job. Like a lot of free OCR apps, the accuracy of scans very much depends on the resolution of the document you scan. Transform any image, scanned document, or printed PDF to editable documents in seconds using our FREE. online Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature. Use our FREE. online OCR feature to recognize text from images. Your files are only stored on our servers for 24 hours, after which they are permanently destroyed.

1. EaseUS PDF Editor

EaseUS is known for its long-standing reputation, having started in the industry in 2004, and EaseUS PDF Editor is one of their latest products.

This software did not fail to meet everyone's expectations. Users can edit PDF and images in any way possible, including extracting the text from the image. The OCR process is done as quickly as one, two, three, and the user does not need to wait for more than one minute to get their text. To make it even better, they have a free trial for those who want to test it out.

Overall, this Windows PDF editor is perfect for those who want to extract text as efficiently as possible. Anybody can master the software in less than five minutes, making it suitable for everybody.

Pros

• It offers lots of language for its OCR feature
• Lots of features to tweak PDF
• Compress, sign, rotate, crop, and split PDF files as you want

Cons

• Need to pay for the version without the watermark

Compatibility: Windows

Now download it to explore more useful and advanced editing tools!

2. TalkHelper PDF Converter

Although the software TalkHelper is one of the best PDF Converter, it also offers OCR as one of its built-in features.

TalkHelper PDF has features that allow its user to extract text from images or PDF and convert them to editable Excel or Word. There is no need to worry about the language, as the software offers 46 languages for its OCR feature. Besides OCR, there are also other features such as splitting and merging PDF with a high-quality result.

Pros

• Gives maximum output
• User-friendly
• bookmark feature

Cons

• The loading time depends on the size of the PDF
• Offers free trial

Compatibility: Windows

3. Nuance Omnipage Ultimate

Do you need OCR software for a mid-sized or large company? Then Nuance Omnipage Ultimate is the right solution for you.

What makes Nuance Omnipage Ultimate stand out from other OCR software is that it offers around 120 languages for its scanning feature. The software also assures that the OCR result is as close as it is to the original material. It will be delivered in high quality.

The software has other advanced features that make the workflow more efficient. However, it will take a while for one to understand the interface due to its complexity.

Pros

• Offers scanner integration.
• Integrates cloud-sharing option
• Batch processing

Cons

• Too complex for beginners

Compatibility: Windows

4. Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

Who doesn't know the Adobe series? The renowned brand also releases software that offers OCR as its feature, and the software is Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

The software by Adobe doesn't disappoint, as its OCR feature never fails to convert documents to PDF in a matter of seconds. The original document will also remain intact, so there is no need to worry about losing any element from the original document. If you plan to purchase this software, you'll have to prepare a decent amount of money for it.

Pros

• Able to work with Microsoft Office
• Preserves the originality of the document
• Lots of features for editing PDF

Cons

• Pricey for some people
• Features can be too overwhelming

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

5. Readiris Pro

If you're looking for an OCR software that can do everything in one package, then Readiris Pro is another software you ought to watch.

Readiris Pro is the ultimate PDF tool that can have lots of features. With just a few clicks, you can convert PDF, image, or other documents to a readable format that you can also edit. Language is not a problem, as the software is decked with 138 recognition languages, leaving no room for miscommunication.

The software also has other features such as text-to-speech and editing PDF. And it's compatible with all scanners too! Unfortunately, there are too many varieties of the product, making it confusing for first-timers.

Pros

• Has many kinds of formats (even epub)
• Does not modify the original format
• Cloud-sharing option

Cons

• Does not work well with low-quality documents
• The least costly version has the least features

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

6. Free Online OCR

Sometimes we have no time to download software. Don't worry because online OCR websites, such as Free Online OCR, can help you.

As the name stated, Free Online OCR is a free OCR software you can access through a browser. It is as simple as it gets. All you need to do is upload the file (image or PDF) then convert it to the desired format. It's simple, easy to use, and quick. Perfect for those who are in a hurry.

Pros

• Loads quickly
• Easy interface
• Accessible anywhere

Cons

• Hourly limit
• Harder to adapt if the file has a colored background

Compatibility: Windows and Mac (online)

7. Soda PDF Online

Are you in need of online, free OCR software with more variety? Check out Soda PDF Online!

Despite being a browser-based software, Soda PDF is as powerful as standard software. Users can convert files back and forth from all kinds of formats. The OCR feature can recognize and extract text accurately. After the user gets the desired text, he can tweak it in any way he wants because everything is available in Soda PDF Online.

Pros

• Web to PDF conversion
• Able to text in images
• Allow e-signature

Cons

• Sign-up is a must
• Slow support

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

8. OCR Space

For those who need a straightforward application, look no more because OCR Space is here for you. Just like its straightforward layout, OCR Space does everything quickly and fast. You need to upload the file (or paste the URL), choose the language, add more details (if there are any), and start the scanning process. In less than one minute, you will get your text ready and accurate.

Pros

• Receipt scanning, table recognition, and other minor details
• Offer options on how the output will be
• Does not store user data

Cons

• Limited to 5 MB for free users
• No text editor

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Conclusion

Ocr Pdf Mac Free Trial

OCR software is powerful software that allows us to extract things we need on images on PDF. It will save us plenty of time and better workflow. There is no need to copy things endlessly because you can do everything in a matter of seconds. All you need to do is to find the best OCR software that suits you the most.

Sometimes, we need to extract the content from the scanned PDF files to text, and that's when PDF to text OCR functionality comes in very handy. OCR acronym for Optical Character Recognition. Many PDF programs come with the OCR feature, which makes scanned PDF documents searchable and editable.

If it's your very first time looking for the best free PDF OCR solution out there, we can understand how challenging it can be. But no worries!! This post will introduce the top free PDF OCR tools and how to OCR a PDF on Windows and Mac.

Best Free PDF OCR Software for Windows and Mac

There is abundant third-party software on Windows and Mac. Come and find the best tool for you to OCR a PDF.

EaseUS PDF Editor

EaseUS PDF Editor is an excellent PDF OCR software. This program can recognize and convert image-based PDF to an editable format and accurately detect and convert as many as 29 languages, such as English, French, German, Japanese, etc.

What's more, this Windows PDF editor enables you to edit and manage your PDF files like below:

• Insert, delete, reorder, extract, crop, or rotate PDF pages with ease
• Add comment, lines, or highlight PDF documents
• Add or remove password from PDF
• Sign your PDF effortlessly

Want to explore more information? Just click the below button to get it. And there is a tutorial that guides you to OCR a PDF using this tool, and you can follow it to use the OCR feature easily.

Step 1. Click Create and choose From file from the top left corner

If you want to OCR from an existing PDF file, click from the File option on the top left corner to start the process.

Step 2. Click OCR on the toolbar

After clicking OCR on the menu, select the language, then wait for a couple of seconds.

Step 3. Edit your PDF as you wish

You can use crop, rotate, combine, etc. features according to your needs. There are several features, and it allows you to manage this process easily and effortlessly.

Step 4. Click Save to keep the changes

When you are finished with editing, click save to keep the changes. You can also click save as and type a new file name if you want to keep the old version unchanged.

Adobe Acrobat DC

With its OCR functionality, you can easily convert your scanned PDFs or images into editable and searchable documents. It can perform OCR on PDFs that contain vector art, images, hidden text, or a blend of these elements.

Above all, the OCR tool in Adobe Acrobat DC offers many editing features, including text recognition, combining files, adding comments, and more.

Pros:

• Support cutting and pasting the text into other apps
• Work with many languages
• Accurately match fonts
• A free trial is available

Cons:

• Lots of features can overwhelm beginners

URL: https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/acrobat/how-to/ocr-software-convert-pdf-to-text.html

PDF OCR X

You can also count on PDF OCR X to help you convert scanned PDF documents into searchable PDFs or text documents with ease. It comes with advanced OCR functionality to extract the text from PDFs, even if it is in an image.

Above all, this PDF OCR-free solution is exclusively designed to handle PDFs created using a scan-to-PDF tool.

Pros:

• Drag and drop functionality to upload documents
• Able to convert PDFs to both text or searchable PDFs
• Support JPEG, PNG, BMP, and more image formats
• Support more than 60 languages

Cons:

• Lack editing features

URL: https://solutions.weblite.ca/pdfocrx/index.php

Readiris

When looking for a PDF to Word OCR solution, Readris serves the purpose best. Supporting both Windows and Mac, the tool can convert PDFs, texts, and images in a scanned document to modify in the format of your preference, including Word.

Its new added features such as a new recognition engine, new user interface, and faster document management make it even more remarkable as a PDF OCR solution or even more.

Pros:

• Various editing features are available
• User-friendly interface
• Open files faster

Cons:

• Lack a forever-free version

URL: https://www.irislink.com/zh-Hans-chn/c1810/IRIS---The-World-leader-in-OCR--PDF-and-Portable-scanner.aspx?

PDFMate PDF Converter

PDFMate PDF Converter entails advanced OCR technology that can help you convert PDFs to editable documents without any hassle. You can extract images and text from image-based PDFs and convert them into selectable and editable text or work files.

Besides the OCR functionality, the software has so much to offer, such as merging and creating PDF, encrypted converted files, customizing layout, and more.

Pros:

• Convert scanned documents to editable ones with OCR
• Support converting PDF to TXT, DOC, and other formats
• Add permission password to documents
• Simple and easy to use

Cons:

• Some crash problems during conversion processes

URL: https://www.pdfmate.com/pdf-converter-free.html

Best 3 Free PDF OCR Online Tools

For those who aren't willing to download software on the computer, the online OCR tools in this section may be the best choices.

OnlineOCR.net

Suppose you don't want to install any program on your system for PDF to word OCR, no worries. With OnlineOCR.net, you can get the job done without installing any tool on your computer. It can recognize characters and text from scanned PDF and convert them into the editable doc format.

It is a completely free PDF OCR online service that even comes with a guest mode, which implies there is no need to register to use it.

Pros:

• Support converting scanned PDFs to editable DOC format
• Work even without registration
• Convert PDF to Word, text, or excel format
• Support many languages

Cons:

• Support file size maximum up to 15 MB

URL: https://www.onlineocr.net/

ABBYY FineReader Online

ABBYY FineReader Online is another online OCR tool designed to help scan and convert PDF documents into Word and many other editable formats. It even supports import and export documents to cloud storage services such as OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox.

The tool will keep converted files in the cloud for around 14 days, giving you enough time to download and share your files during the period.

Pros:

• Support many input and output file formats
• Export a converted document to popular cloud storage services
• Easy to use
• Able to convert scanned PDF to text OCR

Cons:

• Require registration

URL: https://finereaderonline.com/en-us/Tasks/Create

PDF2Go

PDF2Go is also an amazing PDF OCR online tool you can use to convert scanned files to text so that you can edit with ease. You can drag and drop your file or upload it from cloud storage. With PDF2Go, you don't have to copy the text manually, as this PDF OCR free tool will handle this job for you.

Above all, it works with all web browsers out there.

Pros:

• Convert scanned documents to word with OCR
• Support both DOC & DOCX and text format
• Work on a smartphone as well
• No registration is required

Cons:

• Lack support for uploading a file from the OneDrive service

URL: https://www.pdf2go.com/pdf-to-word

How to OCR a PDF?

As mentioned above, we'll help you learn how to OCR a PDF on Windows and Mac, and it's time. We will use Adobe Acrobat DC to walk you through how to OCR a scanned PDF to have an editable copy of your document.

Step 1. In Adobe Acrobat for PC or Mac, open your scanned PDF file.

Mac Os Ocr

Step 2. Tap 'Edit PDF' in the right place. The Adobe Acrobat will automatically perform OCR to your file and make it editable.

Step 3. Tap the text element you would like to edit and begin typing.

Step 4. Finally, select 'File' > 'Save As' and enter a new name for your editable file.

Conclusion

That's all on PDF OCR free tools. We have covered tools that really help to OCR a PDF to word or text on Windows and Mac with ease.

It's time for you to make a selection. Our advice is to pick EaseUS PDF Editor to get the job done.

Free PDF OCR Solutions FAQs

Pdf To Ocr Mac Free

If you still have problems with the PDF OCR feature, those FAQs may help you.

1. How to OCR my PDF to word?

For PDF to word OCR, all you need to do is upload your scanned PDF document and choose the output file format as Word/DOC/DOCX while using any PDF OCR tool. Auto clicker for mac free with hotkey.

Ocr Pdf To Word Mac Free

2. How to OCR my PDF to editable text?

Like PDF to word OCR, you need to select an output file format as .txt while using any PDF OCR tool to PDF to text OCR.

3. How to OCR my PDF to Excel?

Ocr Pdf Mac Free Online

The best way to OCR your PDF to excel is to use an online OCR service like ABBYY FineReader Online. It will provide you with an option to choose '.xlsx' as your output format.