How to Easily Convert Scanned PDFs to Word Documents Online and Offline

Converting scanned PDFs to Word documents can be done using both online and offline methods. Here are steps for both approaches:

Online Method:

There are various online tools that allow you to convert scanned PDFs to Word documents. One popular option is Smallpdf. Here's how you can use it:

1. Visit the Smallpdf website: Go to Smallpdf in your web browser.

2. Select PDF to Word: On the homepage, find and click on the "PDF to Word" option.

3. Upload your scanned PDF: Upload the scanned PDF file by dragging and dropping it onto the webpage or by clicking on the "Choose file" button.

4. Start the conversion: Once the file is uploaded, click on the "Convert" button. Smallpdf will process the file and convert it to Word format.

5. Download the Word document: After the conversion is complete, you can download the Word document to your computer.

Offline Method:

To convert scanned PDFs to Word documents offline, you can use software that supports OCR (Optical Character Recognition). One such software is Adobe Acrobat. Here's how you can do it:

1. Install Adobe Acrobat: If you don't have Adobe Acrobat installed, download and install it on your computer.

2. Open the scanned PDF: Open the scanned PDF document using Adobe Acrobat.

3. Run OCR: In Adobe Acrobat, find the "Enhance Scans" option, and then select "Recognize Text" > "In This File." Choose the appropriate language for OCR.

4. Save as Word document: After OCR is complete, go to "File" > "Save As" and choose the Word document format (usually .docx) as the output format.

5. Specify settings if needed: Depending on the version of Adobe Acrobat, you may have options to customize the OCR settings. Adjust them if necessary.

6. Save the Word document: Click "Save" to save the converted Word document to your computer.

Keep in mind that the quality of the conversion may vary based on the clarity and quality of the scanned PDF. Additionally, ensure that you have the right to convert and edit the content of the PDF files you are working with.