PDF to Word

popmuze

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Any tips on how to convert a scanned PDF file into an editable Word file?
 

Tirjasdyn

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As long as the pdf is a document and NOT an image you can do this. Basically, if you can select the text in the pdf then you can do it.

Go to File, Save As and those are what you can save it to. If it is a image pdf, it'll be an image in word and you will not be able to edit it.
 

popmuze

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So if my scanner only scans PDFs as images, there's no way I can turn them into word files I can edit?
 

robjvargas

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Free-OCR only says it will extract the text. Not that it will produce an editable MS Word document.

Not a terrible workaround, frankly. Just be aware that formatting, etc, could be lost.
 

Charles Farley

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At least the op can copy what text it does extract into a workable word file instead of typing the whole thing out again.

Like you said its only a work around but it should fit the need. When I tried it with a .jpg it did a complete copy, formatted exactly. Just copy and paste into any editor and your good to go.
 

Charles Farley

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I tried another file and some of the letters were replaced by characters. Still 90% though.

So proofread and adjust as needed I suppose . . good call rob.
 

Susan Coffin

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I'm afraid converting the PDF to OCR and then copying to Word, or another word processor program, is the viable option to saving as Word. Even with the full version of PDF Acrobat, which I have at work, saving to Word produces a documents that is not formatted correctly, and even contains some gibberish.

The only problem with copying the OCR to Word is you have to reformat your document to your specifications.