There are times that you may need to copy or edit texts from a scanned document or a PDF file. However, this is not possible as these files are considered images. The texts cannot be selected, edited or copied. So you need to manually type them, which can be time consuming. But this is no longer the case. You can use an OCR software for Mac to automatically convert an image to a text file. Here are some of the programs that you can use.
10. ABBYY FineReader Express Edition for Mac
Download PDFScanner - Scanning and OCR for macOS 10.14 or later and enjoy it on your Mac. There are many applications for macOS that allow scanning of images or text. Most of them are however complex, slow or not really suited for scanning documents or letters. Softworks OCR is also available for Windows and Mac operating systems with a 30-day free trial period, so you can try the software first to see if it works for you. However, one con is that you cannot scan large documents or books because of their limitation in size.
Free download Readiris Readiris for Mac OS X. Readiris is an OCR software for Mac OS built to convert your scans, images, pictures and PDF files to fully editable digital documents compatible with the most popular text editors available on Mac OS. PDF OCR X Community Edition is a free OCR Software for Mac System. This application is created by the Web Line Solutions Corporation to help Mac clients. You can change over checked report and picture records to content archives and accessible PDF positions. Ocr software mac free download - macOS Catalina, Enolsoft PDF to Word with OCR for Mac, Free OCR, and many more programs. Please can you help, i am looking for an OCR software for my 2 Ghz Intel Core Duo Mac with a HP PSC 1500 All-in-one series scanner. On the internet OMNIPAGE PRO X FOR MAC, READIRIS PRO 11 MAC, have come up.
This program offers several features that make conversion and editing of PDF, scanned and image files easier. Even documents or files taken using a digital camera can be converted using FineReader. It offers high conversion accuracy as it does not just scans on the texts of the document, but also the images and tables. If you need to have the exact copy of the file but just needs to edit some of the texts; that will not be a problem with this software. It supports 171 languages so it can recognize the words even if they are not written in English. Aside from the option to convert the file into a word document, you also have the option to convert it into a spreadsheet, HTML or searchable PDF file. All of these can be done in just one click. You don’t have to worry about accidentally saving the changes you made as it keeps a copy of the original file.
9. DevonThink Pro Office
DevonThink Pro Office is a document management program that offers easy way to organize all your files. This will make job easier for you as it will be faster to check on the documents you wish to find, as well as create a back up copy. It also has an OCR feature, which converts a scanned document into a text file. It actually uses ABBYY FineReader for converting the scanned files. If you need a program that can help organize your documents while enjoying the convenience of an OCR program, this software is for you.
8. ReadIris 12
ReadIris 12 is an accurate OCR software for Mac that can convert images or PDF files into editable text. It supports conversion to over 30 formats including Word Document, Excel, HTM, e-mail and more. This can be done in just one click of the mouse. Conversion is fast so you don’t have to wait for several minutes to get the converted file. It’s easy to use because of its user friendly interface. Furthermore, it allows you to immediately upload the files to any cloud including Google Docs and Dropbox so you can access them anywhere, anytime as long as you are connected to the Internet.
7. VelOCRaptor
With the simplicity of its interface, you can quickly learn how to use this program. It does not require complicated steps to convert a scanned document into an editable PDF file. In fact, a simple drag and drop of the scanned file is all you need to have it converted. The software then scans and analyzes the document and converts it to text. You have the option to save it into a PDF file or you may also copy the texts and save them on a Word file or other word processing programs you wish to use. It works with most scanners so you should not have a problem when it comes to scanning files.
6. Adobe Acrobat 8 and Up
Adobe Acrobat 8 and up come with a built in OCR feature that you can use to convert a scanned image into a searchable PDF file. Aside from the ability to search texts once the file is converted, it is also possible to copy them so you can save them on other applications including Excel, Word or e-mail. The conversion can be done while the document is being scanned or by using an already scanned image. To convert a file that you are about to scan, open Adobe Acrobat, click File, choose Create PDF then select From Scanner. The Acrobat Scan window will appear. Click the box next to Make Searchable (Run OCR) to put a check mark and click Scan. If you have a scanned image saved on your computer, open Adobe Acrobat, click File, choose Create PDF then select From File. Open the scanned image, then click Document, OCR Text Recognition then Recognize Text Using OCR.
5. Evernote
While Evernote is mainly used for organizing files like images, notes, PDF and other data, it also comes with an OCR feature. If you do not have a premium account, the OCR feature can be limited to extracting text files from images that you save on Evernote. They are useful for easily searching specific pictures on your files. However, if you have a premium account, you will be able to run OCR on PDF files making the texts searchable and editable.
4. VueScan
This is mainly a program that is used for scanning as it supports more than 1850 scanners. If you cannot find the driver of your scanner or it is no longer supported by the manufacturer, you can still use it by installing VueScan on your computer. Scanned files can be saved in different formats including TIFF, JPEG and PDF. Make the file searchable by using its OCR feature. As a beginner, you can use the Guide Me mode for help on the step by step process of using the program. When you have familiarized yourself with its use, you can try the Advanced mode and have access to more options.
3. PDFPen
PDFPen converts PDF files into searchable and editable format. Aside from editing or copying the texts, you can also add images on the original file itself. When copying to another application, the format will be kept. Furthermore, it allows conversion of scanned images into text.
2. Nuance OmniPage
Depending on your needs, there is an Omnipage version that will work best for you. If you are a professional and you need to use it for your job, you can get Omnipage Professional 18. If running a company, Omnipage Enterprise is the best option. For personal use, you can go with Omnipage Standard 18. It offers fast and accurate conversion and supports 123 languages. It keeps the format of the converted files and recognizes not only the texts, but other elements on the file like tables, forms and images.
1. Prizmo
This programs offers scanning, OCR, image enhancement, as well as the ability to share files on the Cloud network. Whether it is a scanned file or a picture, convert it to text file so you can easily copy or edit the text. It supports more than 40 languages so you can be assured that conversion is more accurate.
Choose from any of the OCR software for Mac you would like to install on your computer. Converting scanned and PDF files into text will be faster and easier by using one of these programs.
Suppose you have a physical document. It could be a resume, a guide, even a book. Wouldn’t it be great if you could convert it into a digital file so that you could edit, share, annotate and even store it safely on your Mac or PC? Thanks to a nifty little technology called optical character recognition (OCR for short), you can do all of the above and then some more. The best OCR software lets you archive and edit important documents for those moments when all you have is that paper in your hand, saving you hours of painstakingly typing it away word by word on your computer.
We take a look at top 10 of the best OCR software for Mac and Windows machines, helping you decide which one suits your purposes and needs perfectly.
// 2. Adobe Acrobat DC – The Most Advanced OCR Software for Professionals
// 3. Google Vision
// 4. Soda PDF OCR
// 5. PDFelement Pro
// 6. Smile PDFpen Pro
// 7. Readiris Pro
// 8. Nuance Omnipage
// 9. Prizmo
// 10. Tesseract (FREE)
// Conclusion
// Advantages of OCR Technology
1. Abbyy FineReader
Abbyy FineReader is the Best OCR Software for Mac with High Accuracy
If you work with documents, notes and PDFs day in and out, ABBYY FineReader helps you make the most of them. You can neatly organize your digital PDFs, and annotate them as needed for professional and academic uses.
Supported Input Formats:
- PDF, including PDF/A
- Image formats: TIFF, JPEG, JPEG 2000, JBIG, JBIG2, PNG, BMP, PCX, DCX, GIF
Free Ocr For Mac
Windows version will also support inputting below file formats:
- Editable formats: DOC(X), XLS(X), PPT(X), VSD(X), HTML, RTF, TXT, ODT, ODS, ODP
- Barcodes
Output Formats:
- PDF, including PDF/A (1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 2u, 3a, 3b, 3u)
- Image formats: TIFF, JPEG, JPEG 2000, JBIG2, PNG, BMP, PCX, DCX
- Editable formats: DOC(X), XLS(X), PPTX, HTML, RTF, TXT, CSV, ODT
- E-book formats: EPUB®, FB2
Details of Windows version supported file formats, please refer to here: https://www.abbyy.com/finereader/specifications/.
Where it excels:
Want to see if there are any changes between the original source and the output? Abbyy FineReader lets you compare documents in different formats, so that rest assured, you can see if anything was lost in translation. Plus it’s an all-in-one universal PDF tool, which can automate the digitization of your physical documents in a jiffy. You can also use the snappy Search function to retrieve any specific information you require, instead of flipping through hundreds of pages to recall where you saw it.
2. Adobe Acrobat DC
Adobe Acrobat DC – The Most Advanced and Best OCR Software for Professionals
The PDF file format was first pioneered by Adobe Inc. It’s no wonder that as far as the best OCR software for Mac and PCs go, Acrobat DC is hands down the de-facto professional software for all your digitization needs.
Input formats
- Image formats: TIFF, JPEG, JPEG 2000, JBIG2, PNG, BMP, PCX, DjVu
- Editable formats: DOC(X), XLS(X), PPTX, HTML, RTF, TXT, CSV, ODT
- HTML
Output formats
- EPS
- TXT
- XML
- All major image formats
- Editable formats: DOC(X), XLS(X), PPTX, HTML, RTF, TXT, CSV, ODT
- E-book formats: EPUB®, FB2
Where it excels
As mentioned before, Adobe Acrobat DC is made with professionals in mind. There are no tradeoffs in quality and you get every feature at your disposal to create, annotate, sign and fill out your PDFs after scanning your physical documents. However, the average user could find using Acrobat a bit technical. There are better alternatives out there for casual users.
3. Google Vision
Google Vision or more accurately, Google Cloud’s Vision API lets you use OCR tech in images to extract text and symbols with remarkable results. You can simply drag any image here, and get intelligent insights about the information you have captured, all powered by artificial intelligence. Use this to identify products, objects, text and more from an image. This OCR tool is web-only but extremely powerful in what it can do.
Input formats
All major image formats:
- JPEG
- PNG8
- PNG24
- GIF
- Animated GIF (first frame only)
- BMP
- WEBP
- RAW
- ICO
- TIFF
File size should not exceed 20 MB.
Output formats
This web-only tool generates output files as needed. For example, if a developer is looking to extract text, lines or specific objects from an image, Google Vision API can do it for you.
- Any document file.
- Any image file.
- Database
What it excels at:
This tool is powered by machine learning, and Google has made it friendly for programmers and coders to modify it for whatever needs they want. Developers can create ‘actions’ to extract the type of content they require from images (be it text only, or more). It can also be used to catalog and classify information as needed.
Mac Ocr Software Reviews
4. Soda PDF OCR
Soda PDF OCR features a simple drag-and-drop interface for turning any PDF, scanned document or image into a modifiable file.
Input Formats
- Editable documents: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Text, HTML
- Image files: GIF, JPG, PNG
Output Formats
- HTML
- Word, Excel, PowerPoint
- Image formats
What it excels at
This online and offline tool may be basic, but we think its simplicity and ease of use will make it a hit with the average Joes and Janes who just need to get the job done. It works on any device, whether Mac, PC or mobile, making it one of the best OCR software all around.
5. PDFelement Pro
One of the best OCR software out there, PDF Element Pro makes it easy for you to make use of OCR capabilities to create, modify and share files with others in your organization. Though, keep in mind that the OCR feature is available for paid users only.
Input formats
- Major image formats
- Editable Document formats
- HTML
Output formats
- Word
- Excel
- Searchable and editable PDF
- PowerPoint (PPT)
- Image
- Text
- Epub
- HTML
- RTF
What it excels at
If you’re looking for a professional OCR software but one that is a lot more affordable than Adobe Acrobat DC, PDF Element Pro fits that bill. It offers all the features that Acrobat does, and is perfect for digitizing your files.
6. Smile PDFpen Pro
With Smile PDFpen Pro, you can scan physical documents and perform OCR either in single file or batch processing mode. Using this helps you edit text, adjust resolution, color, contrast and more. Once scanned, you can edit text and pictures as you need.
Input formats
- HTML
- Major file formats
- Scanners
Output formats
- Editable documents: Word, PowerPoint, Excel
- PDF and PDF/A
- Portfolio documents
What it excels at
This multipurpose PDF editing tool makes for one of the best OCR software for Mac. You can add text or signatures, upload your files to the cloud. You can even use PDFpen Pro on iPad and iPhone and sync Library items via iCloud.
7. Readiris Pro
If you ever wanted to convert your paper documents into a lot of digital formats, that too with a few clicks in between, Canon’s Readiris Pro fits the bill. Use its OCR capabilities to convert your physical documents into PDFs.
Input Formats
- Scanner
- Major image formats – JPEG, PNG, GIF
- Text
- Numbers and Calc files
Output Formats
- Editable documents: Word, Excel, PowerPoint,
- Audio book
- ePub
- TXT
What it excels at
If you’re looking for a relatively faster document processing application, Readiris claims that it is 20% faster than other alternatives out there. It is also among the best OCR software for Mac since it comes with support for Numbers and Calc files.
8. Nuance Omnipage
Geared more towards small and medium sized businesses, Nuance Omnipage features an attractive and professional suite of features for your OCR needs.
Input formats
- PDF, .XPS, .JPG, .TIF, .MAX, and other common image file formats
Output formats
- Editable documents: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Corel WordPerfect, infoPath
- HTML
- CSV
- RTF
- ePub
- AZW – Amazon Kindle ebook file
- Major image formats
What it excels at
Since time savings are a significant factor when it comes to businesses, you will be making use of its recurring conversion jobs. There are also built-in workflows that can help you quickly convert those physical documents into digital and editable ones.
9. Prizmo
This scanning application is available for Macs, iPads and iPhones in over 40 languages. It is designed for everyone, given its very user-friendly interface.
Input Formats
- Regular Photo Files including JPEG, RAW, TIFF
- PDF Files (even Multipage)
Output formats
- Prizmo Documents (.pzdoc)
- JPEG, TIFF, PNG
- vCards for Business Cards
- OCR Results (Multipage Documents Exported as a Single File):
- PDF (Text)
- PDF (Image + Searchable Text indexable by Spotlight)
- RTF
- TXT
What it excels at
Usually, OCR apps just capture the information on a physical piece of paper and turn it into machine-readable text/ images. With Prizmo, you can go a little further. With its support for neural network-based translation, Prizmo can translate captured text into 22 other languages. Mac users can also take advantage of its integration with Automator, saving tons of time in the process.
10. Tesseract (FREE)
Tesserect is an open-source alternative for all your OCR scanning needs. It is primarily aimed for developers, given its command-line user interface and limited support for image file formats.
Input formats
Any image readable by Leptonica is supported in Tesseract including BMP, PNM, PNG, JFIF, JPEG, and TIFF.
Output formats
- Txt
Where it excels
Tesseract is free, and it is constantly being developed. If you’re looking to turn a few images into digital files and are not too thrilled with the idea of plonking down $ for an application, then Tesseract can get the job done.
Conclusion
There’s no one best OCR software to rule them all. We have listed 10 such apps that can make quick work of scanning and digitizing your archives into editable and searchable ones. There are some minor, albeit significant unique selling points for all the apps we have mentioned.
If you want OCR support for mobile devices, there are some apps who do exactly that. If you’re looking for the fastest OCR processing app, we’ve got you covered there too. Or maybe you need a free alternative to a paid one. There is something for everyone here.
Advantages of OCR Technology
Because OCR tech can turn printed documents or even handwritten notes into machine readable text and images, the question becomes – why aren’t more people using it already. The biggest advantage to using OCR software is that it can turn legal, historic or hard copy documents into digital versions. These softwares could help you turn it into a PDF, which could then be easily shared or stored. Or you could use a word processing app like MS Word or Google Docs to edit it.
Here are some other advantages to using OCR:
- You can automate data entry work, saving countless hours and labor costs as a result.
- You can easily deposit your check electronically. There’s no need of a bank teller or long queues that one usually faces at banks.
- For historians and scholars, archiving information from magazines, newspapers and books is easy. They can also search for specific pieces of information and instantly get it via a digital file.
- For search engines, archiving and indexing printed material is possible.
- If you teach a class of visually-impaired students, OCR can help you convert text from any book into voice, thus delivering read-out-aloud content.
- You can store signed documents in an electronic database.
- You can take advantage of translation tools to turn any captured text into other languages.
Not only does using OCR result in significant time savings, you also eliminate the probability of human error with a lot less effort. You can share those files, even zip a bunch of them as required.