How to Convert a Scanned PDF to Word
Last updated · By the PDFSolution team
A standard PDF-to-Word conversion extracts text that is already in the file. A scan has none, so the text has to be recognised first. That extra step changes what you should expect from the result.
Ready to do it now? Open the tool this guide describes.
Convert a scanned PDF to WordStep by step
- 1
Confirm the document really is a scan
If you cannot select any text in a PDF viewer, it is a scan.
- 2
Upload it and pick the language
Choose the language the document is written in for the best recognition.
- 3
Run the conversion
Pages are recognised one by one, then the recovered text is written into a .docx file.
- 4
Proofread before you use it
Focus on names, dates, amounts and reference numbers.
Useful tips
- Rescan poor originals rather than fighting the output — five minutes at the scanner saves an hour of correcting.
- Expect to rebuild the layout: OCR recovers words, not design.
- If you only need to search the document rather than edit it, a searchable PDF is a better output.
Common problems
- Words are joined or split oddly
- Tight line spacing and low resolution cause this. A cleaner scan usually resolves it.
- Columns are jumbled
- Recognition reads across the page. Multi-column documents almost always need manual reordering.
Frequently asked questions
- Will images be included?
- The output focuses on recovered text; illustrations may need re-inserting.
- Can I convert handwriting?
- No, printed text only.
- How long does it take?
- Roughly a few seconds per page, depending on your device.
Related guides
- How to Convert a PDF to WordWhat converts cleanly, what does not, and how to handle scanned documents that contain no text at all.
- How to OCR a PDF and Make It SearchableHow OCR actually works, what makes it accurate, and how to turn a scan into a searchable document.
- How to Translate a PDF Into Another LanguageTranslate a document you cannot read — including scans — and know when a human translator is still required.