Video Guide
Quick Guide to Using Abbyy FineReader for OCR on Large PDFs
If you’ve ever faced the challenge of converting a large batch of PDF files into editable text, you know how daunting this task can be. Abbyy FineReader, a comprehensive OCR (Optical Character Recognition) tool, simplifies this process. This blog post serves as a quick guide to using Abbyy FineReader to handle large PDFs.
How to Start OCR with Abbyy FineReader
First, launch the Abbyy FineReader application. After it opens, select the option labeled “OCR Editor.” This is your first step toward converting your PDFs into an editable format.
Next, you will choose the PDF files you wish to convert. The good news is you can select multiple files at once, streamlining the OCR process.
In our demonstration, Abbyy FineReader managed to process a test batch of 491 pages without a hitch. It performs OCR on these pages to convert the text into an editable form. This means that you’re not just getting a simple scan; the text will become interactive, just like any word document.
Converting PDFs into Accessible Word Documents
Once Abbyy FineReader has finished the OCR process, you’ll want to take some time to review the text. Look at the thumbnails to make sure the text has been captured accurately. Compare these thumbnails to the image and text panels to ensure that nothing has been lost in translation.
If you’re creating content that should be easily readable, removing elements like headers and footers is recommended. Abbyy FineReader has an option that allows you to not keep these sections when you export your file.
Eliminating these elements ensures that they don’t disrupt the flow of reading, especially in larger documents like textbooks.
After you’re satisfied with the text, it’s time to save your files. The software provides options to save your documents as Word files. When saving, you also have the option to create a new folder to better organize your newly converted files. The software also allows you to save each source file separately, making it easier to manage your documents later.
One thing to keep in mind is that the first export may not always be perfect. For example, page numbers may still be included despite selecting the option to remove them. If this happens, try choosing the “Plain Text” option before saving again.
And there you have it! You should now have Word documents that are not only editable but also more accessible and easier to read. Whether it’s for personal use or compliance with accessibility standards, Abbyy FineReader makes the whole process more straightforward.
