How to Edit a Scanned PDF Document - Text/Word/Image

Part 1: Key Points to Consider Before Editing a Scanned PDF

Before you start editing a scanned PDF document, make sure you’re fully prepared. Here are 6 crucial steps to help you avoid common editing mistakes and ensure a smooth editing process:

1. Check OCR Accuracy

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology allows scanned documents to be converted into editable text, but OCR output isn’t always perfect. Before editing, review the text in the document for accuracy. If the OCR output contains errors, try using a tool to re-recognize the text and ensure the content is correct.

2. Improve Image Quality

If the scanned PDF image is blurry or of low quality, the editing process will be difficult. It’s recommended to enhance the image quality before editing to improve clarity. This not only helps with text recognition but also ensures the final document looks professional.

3. Use the Correct Fonts and Formatting

When editing a scanned PDF document, make sure the font and formatting match the original document as closely as possible. If the scanned document uses a special font that’s not available on your computer, you can add the font. Maintaining consistent fonts and formatting will give the document a more professional and clean appearance.

4. Remove Security Restrictions

Some scanned PDFs may have editing restrictions that prevent users from modifying the document. If the document has security settings blocking editing, be sure to remove these restrictions. This will ensure the document can be freely edited without complications.

5. Avoid Modifying Complex Elements

If the scanned PDF contains tables, charts, or images, it’s best to avoid unnecessary edits. These elements have sensitive formatting and layout that may get disrupted during editing. For complex content, only make necessary changes to avoid affecting the document’s overall format and readability.

6. Save a Backup of the Original File

Always remember to save a backup of the original PDF file before making any edits. This ensures you can restore the original version in case of any errors and provides a safeguard when making significant modifications to the document.

Part 2: How to Edit a Scanned PDF Document – Best Scanned PDF Editors

Choosing the right tool is key to improving efficiency and maintaining document formatting. Below, we compare two popular editors for editing scanned PDF documents: Adobe Acrobat and PDNob PDF Editor, each suited for different user needs.

1. Adobe Acrobat – Professional but Expensive

Best for: Businesses and professionals, especially those who need to handle complex documents, enhance security, or collaborate with teams. It offers advanced editing features, making it a worthwhile investment.

As the industry standard, Adobe Acrobat provides comprehensive PDF editing features, especially for dealing with complex scanned documents. Whether it's OCR recognition, document formatting retention, or image processing, Adobe meets the needs of professional users.

However, its complex interface and high subscription fees make it more suitable for enterprises and professionals requiring advanced document editing.

Steps to Alter a Scanned PDF Document via Adobe Acrobat

• Open the PDF: Launch Adobe Acrobat and open the scanned PDF file you want to edit.

• Access the Editing Tool: From the top menu or toolbar, click on "Tools" and select "Edit PDF".

• Enable OCR: Acrobat will automatically run Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to convert the scanned text into editable content.
• Make Edits:
  • Edit Text: Click on any text block you want to change. Then, use your cursor and keyboard to correct errors, add new text, or remove existing text.
  • Adjust Formatting: Use the editing panel to modify the font, size, and other formatting options.
  • Delete Text: Highlight the text or section you want to remove and press the delete key.
• Save the File: Once you're done editing, go to the menu (File > Save or Save As on Mac/Windows) to save your updated file and preserve your changes.

2. PDNob PDF Editor – High Accuracy and Affordable

Best for: Individual users and small businesses, particularly those with a limited budget but who need to edit scanned PDF documents efficiently. It’s user-friendly and cost-effective.

Compared to Adobe Acrobat, Tenorshare PDNob offers a more straightforward and affordable solution. It also has powerful OCR capabilities, enabling efficient conversion of text in scanned images into editable content. The main advantage of PDNob is its intuitive interface, making it perfect for personal users and small businesses.

Its features cover everyday PDF editing needs, including text modification, image adjustments, and file format conversions. Unlike Adobe Acrobat, PDNob focuses more on usability and value for money.

Key Features of Tenorshare PDNob PDF Editor

• Converts PDFs to 10+ formats including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Built-in OCR for turning scanned images into editable text
• Supports editing text, images, watermarks, and links directly
• Preserves original formatting, including tables and layouts
• Runs seamlessly without lag or crashes, even on low-spec PCs.

Steps to Modify a Scanned PDF Document via PDNob PDF Editor

• Launch the Tenorshare PDNob software on your computer. On the main interface, click the "OCR PDF" button.
  
• Select the desired files from your computer, then click "Open" to load them into PDNob.
• Click the "Download" button to download the OCR functionality if prompted.
  
• Once the OCR feature is installed, click the "OCR" button on the top toolbar to initiate the OCR process.
• A settings window will appear. Review the settings as needed, then click the "Perform OCR" button to start the recognition process.
  
• After the OCR is complete, you will be able to copy and use the extracted text from the PDF.
  

Part 3. How to Edit a Scanned PDF Document for Free

Many users prefer free tools to make scanned PDFs editable. While these tools offer basic features, they’re often sufficient for simple text changes and formatting adjustments. Below, we’ll discuss two commonly used free tools: Microsoft Word and Google Docs, analyzing their features and suitability.

1. Microsoft Word – Simple Conversion with Limited Support

Best for: Converting and editing simple text, as well as basic formatting adjustments.

While Microsoft Word doesn’t have built-in OCR functionality to recognize text in scanned images, it does support converting PDF files into editable documents. This allows you to convert a scanned PDF into a Word document and make basic edits.

However, this method is best suited for simple text edits, and more complex documents with intricate layouts or formatting may experience issues with misaligned or missing elements.

Steps to Edit a Scanned PDF Document in Word

• Open Microsoft Word. Go to File > Open. Browse to the location of your scanned PDF file on your computer and select it.

• Click Open. A message will appear, stating that Word will convert the PDF to an editable Word document. Click OK to proceed with the conversion.

• Once the conversion is complete, the scanned PDF will appear as an editable Word document, and you can begin making your desired changes to the text and formatting.
• After you've finished editing, you can save the document by going to File > Save As or export it back to PDF format by going to File > Export > Create PDF/XPS.

2. Google Docs – Basic Free Online OCR Conversion

Best for: Basic conversion and editing of scanned PDF documents.

Google Docs, with its built-in OCR technology, lets users easily convert scanned PDFs into editable text. Unlike Microsoft Word, Google Docs operates entirely online, meaning no software installation is required. While it offers fast text conversion, complex documents with lots of images or tables may not convert as well.

Steps to Edit a Scanned PDF Document in Word Online Free

• Go to Google Drive, click the New button, and select File upload to choose your scanned PDF from your computer.

• Once the PDF is uploaded, find it in Google Drive, right-click on the file, and select Open with > Google Docs from the options.

• Google Docs will convert the PDF into an editable format. You can then edit the text, add new content, or include images.
• After making your edits, click on the File menu in Google Docs, then go to Download, and select PDF Document (.pdf) to save your modified document as a new PDF.

Part 4. How to Edit a Scanned PDF Document Online

Smallpdf - Online Scanned PDF Document Editor

Best for: Perform basic PDF tasks like converting, merging, or signing a few times a day or week.

Smallpdf is a user-friendly and convenient tool for basic edits on scanned PDFs, particularly for simple tasks like adding text, marking up, and signing. However, its worth depends on your needs: the free version is limited to processing two files per day, and significant editing of complex scanned documents or frequent, heavy use requires a paid subscription.

For advanced, frequent, or complex scanned PDF editing, other tools or software with OCR capabilities might be a better fit.

Steps to Edit a Scanned PDF Document Online

• Go to the Smallpdf website and find the PDF OCR tool.

• Upload your scanned PDF to the OCR tool. Convert the PDF to an editable digital format.
• Download the converted, editable file or open it in the Edit PDF tool.

• Upload the editable file to the Edit PDF tool on Smallpdf.
• Click on the text box you want to modify, or use the annotation tools to add shapes, highlights, or images.
• Add, delete, or change text as needed. Click "Finish" to save your changes.

FAQs of Editing Scanned PDF

How do I ensure the original formatting is maintained after editing?

Use dedicated PDF editors like Adobe Acrobat or PDNob PDF Editor, which preserve formatting better during OCR conversion.

Can I edit handwritten text in a scanned document?

OCR may recognize handwritten text, but its accuracy depends on the handwriting clarity and scan quality.

How do I save an edited scanned document as a PDF?

After editing, use the "Save As" or "Download as PDF" option in most editors to save the document.

How can I scan and edit a document on mobile?

For iPhone or Android, scan the document using a scanner app, then use a PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat to edit the text.

What is the most accurate OCR tool for scanned PDFs?

Some OCR tools, like Adobe Acrobat and PDNob PDF Editor, offer high-accuracy text recognition. These tools support multiple languages and are ideal for converting scanned PDFs into editable text.

Does OCR preserve images and tables in scanned PDFs?

Most OCR tools can maintain the layout of images and tables during text conversion. However, complex formatting may require manual adjustments.

Conclusion

To edit a scanned PDF document, choose the right tool based on your needs:

• For basic tasks, Google Docs and Microsoft Word are quick and free.
• For OCR and more features, PDNob PDF Editor is affordable and powerful.
• For complex documents and business use, Adobe Acrobat offers advanced features but at a higher cost.
• For quick edits, Smallpdf is convenient but limited in functionality.

Select the tool that best fits your editing requirements and budget for optimal results.

downloads :

PDNob PDF Editor Software- Smarter, Faster, Easier

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• Instantly read, summarize, and extract insights from PDF
• Convert PDF to 30+ formats like Word, Excel, and images
• Edit text, images, watermarks, links, and backgrounds for PDF
• 99% OCR precision for making scanned PDFs editable and searchable

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