How do I use Recognize Text (OCR) to correct scanned words in a PDF?

Open your PDF in Acrobat. Go to 'All tools' > 'Scan & OCR'. Pick 'In this file', set page range and language. Click 'Recognize Text' to start. Wait for it to finish, then check your text.

If my scan is blurry or low-quality, will OCR still work well?

OCR may not read blurry or low-quality scans correctly. Scanning at 300 dpi or higher gives better results. Clear, sharp images help OCR find the right words.

What is the difference between searchable text and renderable text in a PDF?

Searchable Text Renderable Text. You can find and copy it in the PDF. It is real text already in the PDF. Created by OCR from images. Comes from typed documents or forms. Needed when working with scans. Not needed for OCR.

Correct OCR Text in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

3 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”I have a scanned warranty form with a faded signature and a wrong date. Clean the scan, correct…+

I have a scanned warranty form with a faded signature and a wrong date. Clean the scan, correct the date to [date=July 1, 2026] as our records show, and produce a trustworthy single-page PDF for the customer file by [deadline=Wednesday].

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

BImprove — “do it better”Customer support will reject a scan that looks tampered. Improve the scanned warranty by…+

Customer support will reject a scan that looks tampered. Improve the scanned warranty by enhancing legibility, restoring the signature’s contrast without altering its shape, correct the date to [date=July 1, 2026], and add a short audit note describing the edits so it is acceptable for archive review.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

CDecide — “help me choose”A client sent a torn, scanned delivery receipt that shows a signature but the date reads 2025;…+

A client sent a torn, scanned delivery receipt that shows a signature but the date reads 2025; our shipping logs indicate [date=July 1, 2026]. If I simply correct the image and date, internal audit may flag it as altered. I need advice: should I create a corrected archival copy with an audit trail, request a clearer re-scan, or accept the risk of annotating the original? Explain the compliance and practical risks of each path, recommend the safest choice for records that must survive a future dispute, and outline the exact steps I should document when saving the corrected file.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open the scanned PDF in Adobe Acrobat.
2
Check if the document is an image-only PDF by attempting to select or search for text.
NoteOCR cannot recognize text if the PDF does not contain images or if the text is already selectable.
3
Go to Tools and select Recognize Text.
4
Click Recognize Text and choose In This File.
5
Review the OCR output for errors or missed text by scrolling through the document.
6
If OCR accuracy is poor, check the scan quality: ensure the document is at least 300 dpi, not skewed, and has high contrast.
Best practiceLow-resolution, blurry, or skewed scans are the most common causes of OCR failure.
7
Rescan the original document at 300 dpi or higher, using RGB mode for discolored or older pages.
Best practiceFor best results, avoid scanning with excessive brightness and ensure pages are flat and unmarked.
8
Repeat the OCR process on the improved scan.
9
Manually correct any remaining OCR errors by clicking on suspect words to edit and accept corrections directly.
NoteYou can click on suspect words to edit and accept corrections directly.
10
Save the corrected PDF.

In the appWith the API

If OCR still fails, try rescanning your document at a higher resolution and check for skewed or blurry pages before running OCR again.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

The real tasks

the one, listed here

A customer sent a poor scan with a wrong signing date

FAQ

about this task

Open your PDF in Acrobat.
Go to 'All tools' > 'Scan & OCR'.
Pick 'In this file', set page range and language.
Click 'Recognize Text' to start.
Wait for it to finish, then check your text.

OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition. It is a tool that reads pictures of words in scanned documents and turns them into real, selectable text. This is important because it lets you search, copy, and use the text from scans, which you cannot do with plain images. OCR makes scanned PDFs much more useful for work, study, or accessibility.

OCR may not read blurry or low-quality scans correctly.
Scanning at 300 dpi or higher gives better results.
Clear, sharp images help OCR find the right words.

Recognize Text (OCR) only works on PDFs that are made from images, like scans or photos. If your PDF already has real, typed text (renderable text), Acrobat will not run OCR and will show an error. Always check if your file is an image-only scan before using OCR.

Searchable Text	Renderable Text
You can find and copy it in the PDF.	It is real text already in the PDF.
Created by OCR from images.	Comes from typed documents or forms.
Needed when working with scans.	Not needed for OCR.

Correct OCR Text

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

When it fails