Optical Character Recognition (OCR) scanning is a technology that converts images of text-such as scanned paper documents, photos of documents, or PDFs- into machine-readable and editable text data. When you scan a document, the scanner creates an image file that looks like the original but contains no actual text data that software can edit or search. OCR software analyzes this image, recognizes the shapes of letters, numbers, and symbols, and converts them into digital text that can be edited, searched, and processed by computers
How OCR Scanning Works
- Image Acquisition : A scanner or camera captures the document as a digital image.
- Preprocessing : The OCR software cleans the image by correcting alignment (deskewing), removing noise (despeckling), and enhancing text clarity.
- Text Recognition : The software uses pattern matching (comparing character shapes to stored templates) and feature extraction (analyzing character features like lines and loops) to identify each character.
- Postprocessing : The recognized text is compiled into an editable and searchable digital document, sometimes preserving the original layout and formatting
Importance and Uses
OCR scanning is essential for digitizing paper documents to save space, improve accessibility, and enable automation. It allows businesses and individuals to convert printed forms, receipts, contracts, and other documents into searchable and editable files, facilitating data analysis, workflow automation, and digital archiving
. In summary, OCR scanning transforms physical or image-based text into digital text, making it usable for editing, searching, and integration with other software systems.
