How to Convert Scanned PDF to Word

Were you given a scanned document and you need to edit it in Microsoft Word? Can’t pull out the text with any success?

You’re not alone! It’s a common issue everyone has.

With scanned PDFs, you only have an image of the text on the page, which is what causes the issue if you’re trying to work with the content directly.

Don’t worry! We’ll provide you with a few quick tips to save your time and convert the PDF file back to Word for free in a matter of seconds!

How to convert scanned PDF to Word online for free

Xodo is a cross-platform PDF to Word converter that can fill any gaps you may have in your workflow. For scanned PDFs, it offers high-fidelity OCR engine so you can convert that inaccessible image PDF content conveniently online.

Here’s how to convert a scanned PDF to Word online for free:

1. Go to Xodo’s free online PDF to Word converter.

2. Select and upload the scanned PDF you want to convert to MS Word.

3. Click on Convert.

4. Download your converted newly Word document to your device.

Now that you have changed your image-based PDF to an editable Word document, you can easily make changes to the text, formatting, and layout.

How to edit a scanned PDF document?

To edit a scanned document, you’ll first need to use an OCR converter to turn your image-based PDF to a searchable PDF you can edit and work with.

This is a PDF converter with built-in Optical Character Recognition technology that can specifically recognize and extract text from scanned PDFs and images.

Here's how to turn your scanned PDF into searchable PDF:

1. Open our online OCR converter.

2. Upload your scanned PDF and specify .pdf as the output format.

3. Click on Convert to start the conversion.

4. Once the conversion is done, use the Continue to option to open and edit your file in our online PDF editor.

This will let your easily edit your former scanned PDF directly in your browser. Check out our easy-to-follow PDF editing guide to learn more about Xodo's versatile editing tools and capabilities.

Get your work done faster with Xodo

Dealing with scanned PDFs may seem difficult, but you can work efficiently when you have the right PDF tools at your fingertips. 

For instance, if you have multiple scanned PDFs, why not combine your PDFs together with our PDF Merger before converting them to Microsoft Word?

Check out Xodo's 30+ online tools and features that amplify what you can do with difficult PDF files. See what they can do for you!